Presentation dish for an imperial lecture1621

China

Not on view

The mark in the rectangular cartouche on the top of the dish notes it was a gift made for an imperial lecture (jingyan) in 1621. In this type of lecture, erudite officials taught Confucian classics to the emperor, who often presented the teachers with valuable gifts, such as this rare example of skillful metalwork from the imperial Ming workshop. The decoration shows a scholar official, proudly walking under a parasol, being escorted to the palace for an imperial lecture.

Presentation dish for an imperial lecture1621, Silver, China

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