Square-form vase with decoration of Su Shi’s first and second “Rhapsody on Red Cliff”

Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi mark and period (1662–1722)
Not on view
This vase records two texts titled “Rhapsody on Red Cliff,” masterpieces composed by the beloved poet and statesman Su Shi (1037–1101) in the autumn and winter of 1082. Its square form elegantly accommodates the two stories in both text and image. When Su visited the site commemorated in his poems, it was already rich with historical significance owing to the Battle of Red Cliff, believed to have been fought there at the end of the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), but it was forever transformed by his famous poems and soon became a popular theme across all media.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 清康熙 景德鎮窯青花前後赤壁賦圖方瓶
  • Title: Square-form vase with decoration of Su Shi’s first and second “Rhapsody on Red Cliff”
  • Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi mark and period (1662–1722)
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Porcelain painted in underglaze cobalt blue (Jingdezhen ware)
  • Dimensions: H. 20 3/4 in. (52.7 cm); W. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm); D. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm); Diam. of rim: 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm)
  • Classification: Ceramics
  • Credit Line: Gift of Julia and John Curtis, 2015
  • Object Number: 2015.784.1
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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