The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 20, 2024

Cup with Dragon and Clouds

Cup with Dragon and Clouds

1522–66
(1368-1644), Jiajing mark and reign (1522-66)
porcelain with incised decoration and white glaze
Diameter: 7.2 cm (2 13/16 in.); Overall: 5.8 cm (2 5/16 in.)
Severance and Greta Millikin Collection 1964.176
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

This cup is incised with a "secret" decoration of clouds and dragons.

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. This small white bell-shaped cup illustrates the advanced porcelain techniques and the creative mind of the talented artisan who sought clients on a competitive market.
  • ? before 1953
    Mrs. Alfred Clark, London, England
    March 24, 1953
    (Sotheby's, London, UK, March 24, 1953 sale, lot no. 32)
    ?–1958
    (Frank Caro, New York, NY, sold to Severance and Greta Millikin)
    1958–1964
    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
  • Catalogue of the Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1990. no. 49
  • China through the Magnifying Glass: Masterpieces in Miniature and Detail. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 11, 2022-February 26, 2023).
    The Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 5-September 2, 1990).
  • {{cite web|title=Cup with Dragon and Clouds|url=false|author=|year=1522–66|access-date=20 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1964.176