QING DYNASTY, 18TH-19TH CENTURY

The present vase follows the archaic bronze prototype, zun, a type of wine vessel used in the rituals of the Shang and Zhou dynasties. By the Qing period, archaic forms and motifs found great popularity and a number of jade vessels, such as the present example, were produced to reflect the fashion of the period. The design of this vase, such as the taotie motif carved on the mid-section and the elongated plantain above and below, serves as further evidence of this artistic trend.

Compare to an almost identical Qianlong jade vase, from the Qing court collection, now in the National Museum of China, included in their collection highlights database, which is published on their official website.