lotus bud and pod group, small snail on underside of bud provides support for the group; lotus buds and pods reflected in woodstand and carved to intigrate waterdropper as though it is growing from the stand

Lotus Bud Waterdropper, 18th century

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This finely detailed water container is shaped like a lotus bud and seed pod and was crafted from red, brown, and yellow clays. It was created by Chen Mingyuan (his square seal is imprinted on the bottom), a versatile potter famous for his scholar's desk objects fashioned to look like bamboo, nuts, vegetables, and prunus. Chen worked at the Yixing kilns in Jiangsu province, which developed a following among the literati class during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) for their small, unassuming "organic taste" products that took inspiration from nature. The waterdropper, an essential implement for the literatus, was used to hold the water that was sprinkled onto the grinding stone when making ink.

Details
Title
Lotus Bud Waterdropper
Artist Life
1662 - 1735
Role
Artist
Accession Number
95.95.7a,b
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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lotus bud and pod group, small snail on underside of bud provides support for the group; lotus buds and pods reflected in woodstand and carved to intigrate waterdropper as though it is growing from the stand