Dish
Date1723-1735
CultureChinese
Mediumporcelain, underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze enamel
DimensionsOverall: 1 3/4 x 8 1/8 in. (4.4 x 20.6 cm)
ClassificationsContainers
Credit LineGift of Stephen Junkunc III
Terms
Object number57.094.000
On View
Not on viewCollections
DescriptionBecause the Chinese saw in the deer the neck of a camel, the hooves of a cow, the tail of a donkey, and the antlers of a deer, the animal is known by the name ssu-pu-hsiang, or the "four unlikes." This dish would appear to depict a part of the Imperial Park and the type of deer that once roamed China but became extinct in the wild when grazing land was claimed for cultivation. A number of the animals were kept in the Imperial Park of the Forbidden City in Beijing until recent imperial times.- Art of Asia
early 18th century
late 17th century
late 17th century
late 19th century
16th century
