Hanoi, Viet Nam

Title

Large dish with crane, pine and bamboo medallion

Other titles:

Large dish with a central medallion depicting a crane with pine and bamboo

Place of origin

Hanoi → Viet Nam

Period

Le dynasty circa 1420 - 1787 → Viet Nam

Year

15th century

Media category

Ceramic

Materials used

porcelain with underglaze blue decoration

Dimensions

8.0 x 38.0cm

Signature & date

Not signed. Not dated.

Credit

Purchased 1991

Accession number

7.1991

Location

Upper Asian gallery

Further information

The ceramic traditions of Vietnam, which date back to the first century AD, were strongly influenced by those of its omnipresent northern neighbour, China. The so-called 'golden age' of Vietnam - the Ly and Tran dynasties - commenced with Vietnam's independence from China. During a subsequent and short-lived Chinese incursion in the fifteenth century, the great innovation of blue and white porcelain came to Vietnam with migrant potters from the north. Characteristic of the Vietnamese style is the unglazed rim, suggesting that it was fired upside down, and the speckled grey-blue colour of the painted design. The design - a crane amid bamboo and pine (traditional symbols of longevity), with scrolling floral motifs - also echoes the Chinese style.

Art Gallery Handbook, 1999. pg. 299.

Bibliography (6)

Amber Daines, Look Jun 2004, 'Trade Ceramics', pg. 20-21, Newtown, Jun 2004, 20 (colour illus.), 21.

Terry Ingram., Arts of Asia Nov 1990-Dec 1990, 'Christie's Melbourne: The Brake-Lau-Eckermann Southeast Asian Collection in September', Nov 1990-Dec 1990, 151 (illus.).

Bruce James, Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, 'Asian Collection: South-East Asia', pg. 298-301, Domain, 1999, 299 (colour illus.).

Jackie Menzies, The Art Gallery of New South Wales collections, 'Asian Art - India, South-East Asia, China, Tibet, Korea, Japan', pg. 173-228, Sydney, 1994, 184 (colour illus.).

Jackie Menzies (Editor), The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales 2003, Domain, 2003, 303 (colour illus.).

Christie's Melbourne: "The Brake-lau-Eckermann Collection of South East Asian Ceramics, Textiles and Works of Art", Melbourne, Sep 1990, 15 (illus.).