Vase with Dragon amid Clouds

China

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 203

Arguably the most well-known motif in Chinese art, the dragon is a multivalent symbol imbued with many layers of meaning, including protection, happiness, and fertility. In early Chinese art the dragon was understood as a symbol of the cardinal direction east, and it has long been associated with water, particularly lakes and rivers. The dragon also signifies imperial rule, and works decorated with five-clawed dragons are known to have been produced for use at court.

Vase with Dragon amid Clouds, Porcelain painted with copper red under transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware), China

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Vase with Dragon amid Clouds, Porcelain painted with copper red under transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware), China
Vase with Dragon amid Clouds, Porcelain painted with copper red under transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware), China
Vase with Dragon amid Clouds, Porcelain painted with copper red under transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware), China

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