This elegant example of Chi-chou stencil decoration displays a cut branch of flowering plum on each side of the bottle. The details of the pistils were brushed in with brown slip on the bisquit reserve and, as was typical in this technique, the resist portions of the design were coated with a thin application of clear glaze for protection.
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object 5 of 7
object 5 of 7
Title:Meiping Bottle with Plum Branch Decor
Artist:Artist Unknown
Date:Southern Sung dynasty
Creation Place:China
Credit Line:Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton
Accession Number:2001.137.1
Artist:Artist Unknown
Date:Southern Sung dynasty
Creation Place:China
Credit Line:Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton
Accession Number:2001.137.1
Probably used for storing wine, vinegar, soy sauce and other liquids during the Sung (960-1279) and Yuan (1280-1368) dynasties, mei-ping bottles such as this came to be favored in later periods as vases for cut branches of flowering plum as the term, mei-ping ("plum bottle" or "plum vase") implies. In fact, the term mei-ping does not appear in pre-Ch'ing (1644-1912) texts.
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object 5 of 7
object 5 of 7