Hexagonal flower vase with magic fungus handles
Not on view
This elegant vase represents an aesthetic revolution in its creative reinterpretation of an ancient bronze vessel. Its intricate décor, arranged in horizontal registers, follows archaic models, but also incorporates contemporary motifs, such as the geometric diaper pattern with swastikas and the turbulent waves. Its two handles are intricately cast in the form of magic fungus, a symbol of longevity. The three-dimensional form of the handles recalls similar images of magic fungus on contemporary jades. Its long flaring neck and pear-shaped body are features of 13th to 14th century ceramics. However, its hexagonal form, readily created in cast bronze, also came to be imitated by contemporary ceramics.
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