The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of June 9, 2023

Square Double-Gourd Vase with Floral Scrolls

1522–66

China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen kilns, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Jiajing mark and reign

(1522-66)

Porcelain with underglaze blue decoration and overglaze enamel

Overall: 8.8 cm (3 7/16 in.)

Severance and Greta Millikin Collection 1964.172

Location

not on view

Description

In the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), luxury items became more affordable to larger parts of the society, including women, merchants, and literati in non-official positions. Imperial patronage and a growing urban population encouraged consumption of luxury goods and local craftmanship.

Inscriptions

Inscription

大明嘉靖年製

Inscription Translation

Da Ming Jiajing nian zhi

Inscription Remark

Made in the Ming dynasty, Jiajing period

Provenance
by 1937–?
Mrs. and Mr. Maurice Solvay [1898–1960], Paris, France 1
?–1957
(Frank Caro, New York, NY, sold to Severance and Greta Millikin)
1957–1964
Severance A. [1895–1985] and Greta [Marguerite Steckerl] Millikin [1903–1989], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
1964–
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Provenance Footnotes

1 Belgian-born Maurice Solvay was a chemical businessman.
Citations
Salles, Georges. Arts de la Chine ancienne. Paris: Musée de L'Orangerie, 1937. Mentioned: p. 233, no. 833
Catalogue of the Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1990. Mentioned: p. 75, no. 81
Exhibition history

Arts de la Chine Ancienne. Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris, France (1937).

The Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 5-September 2, 1990).

China through the Magnifying Glass: Masterpieces in Miniature and Detail. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 11, 2022-February 26, 2023).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1964.172