Basin with turtles and fish
Not on view
The design of this vessel reflects the fourteenth-century antiquarian taste. This type of water basin can be traced back to the Shang dynasty (ca. 1600–1046 B.C.), but the vessel’s design is based on a woodblock illustration in the 12th-century Xuanhe Bogutu, a catalogue of Song-dynasty imperial collection. The design of turtles and fish allude to the legend of a turtle that emerged from the Luo River bearing a divine book on its carapace. The vessel most likely functioned as a decorative piece in a scholar’s study meant to demonstrate the owner’s appreciation for antiquity.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.