Vase with waves, conchs, and birds
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.Titled “Han[-style] clear river and tranquil sea vase of four happiness” (Han heqinghaiyan sixiping), this type of vase appears in an imperial archival record dated 1739. The upper band of waves suggests a river so clear that conchs are visible below, while the lower band, which shows swallows swimming, implies a placid sea; the four ring handles offer a visual pun as “handle” and “happiness” have the same pronunciation (xi) in Chinese. While the vessel’s bronze medium and general shape evoke antique models, its decoration is a contemporary interpretation of a literary phrase with auspicious connotations for the emperor’s reign.
Artwork Details
- 清乾隆 銅海晏河清瓶
- Title: Vase with waves, conchs, and birds
- Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong mark and period (1736–95)
- Culture: China
- Medium: Copper alloy
- Dimensions: H. 7 3/8 in. (18.8 cm); Diam. 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm)
- Classification: Metalwork
- Credit Line: Lent by The Palace Museum
- Rights and Reproduction: Photograph courtesy of The Palace Museum, Beijing
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art