Jar with the Eight Daoist Immortals

Gallery 334, Asian Art, third floor

Main Building

Jar with the Eight Daoist Immortals

Mid-1300s

Artist/maker unknown, Chinese

The Eight Immortals—Daoist symbols of longevity and happiness—are depicted in inset panels around this vase. During the Yuan dynasty, this group of legendary figures was featured in literature and plays, accounting for its popularity in the visual arts. The panels were covered with wax before the vase was dipped in glaze and fired. When the wax melted away in the kiln, they turned the brick red color seen here—the result of the re-oxidization of the clay as it cooled.

Gallery 334, Asian Art, third floor

Object Details

Title:

Jar with the Eight Daoist Immortals

Date:

Mid-1300s

Artist:

Artist/maker unknown, Chinese

Medium:

Porcelaneous stoneware with partial celadon glaze (Longquan ware)

Dimensions:

10 x 7 inches (25.4 x 17.8 cm)

Classification:

Containers

Credit Line:

Gift of Mrs. S. Emlen Stokes, 1964

Accession Number:

1964-58-1

Geography:

Made in China, Asia

Context:

Dynasty: Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368)

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Gallery 334, Asian Art, third floor

Main Building

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