Cup in Shape of Rhinoceros Horn
This small cup, most likely intended for use on a scholar’s desk, is in the shape of a rhinoceros horn, a material that was widely used at the court and among the literati from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century. The cup is decorated with appliquéd designs that include a slumped figure on one side, which may allude to the famous poet Li Bai (701–762), and on the other, a mythical qilin gazing at the moon.
Artwork Details
- Title: Cup in Shape of Rhinoceros Horn
- Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
- Date: 18th century
- Culture: China
- Medium: Porcelain with applied decoration (Dehua ware)
- Dimensions: H. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm): W. 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm)
- Classification: Ceramics
- Credit Line: Gift of Gilbert Ireland, 2012
- Object Number: 2012.527.1
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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1713–22
17th century
18th century
18th century
mid-18th century
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