Page 29 - Yuan Dynasty Ceramics

Chapter 07 (pp. 330-385)_Layout 1 7/7/10 5:42 PM Page 358

of the vessel is clothed in the silk tapestries so prized by
the Mongols. Although these xiapei (literally, rosy cloud
scarves) are believed to have been in use in China as early
as the third century b.c.e., some particularly fine tapestry
woven and embroidered examples were created during
the Yuan dynasty. Further, the cloud collar lappet became a
major fourteenth-century motif for porcelain from
Jingdezhen, and appears on both underglaze red and under-
glaze blue wares (Figs. 7.39, 7.40). The dragons, birds, and
floral backgrounds seen on the underglaze painted vessels in
this find were ubiquitous on textiles of central Asia and
China created during the eleventh to fourteenth centuries. 99
Many other motifs and layout conventions used for
these ceramics have counterparts in the textiles of the
era. The motif of lions on the wide belly of an octagonal
faceted version of a yuhuchun bottle recovered from the
Baoding find is used on an overglaze enamel bottle of the
same general form, but not faceted, in the Tokyo Na-
tional Museum, as well as in central Asian Uighur, North-
ern Song, and Liao textile designs. 100 The eight
7.39. Flask with underglaze copper red dragon decor, Yuan trapezoidal floral panels on the flaring body of the octag-
dynasty, 34 cm tall, 8.5 cm mouth diameter, 26.5 cm foot
onal faceted ewer are similar in composition to the bulb-
diameter, made in Jingdezhen, Palace Museum, Beijing.
shaped panels on some gold brocades. 101 Beaded banding
7.40. Dish or plate with flattened foliate rim and main decoration resembling pearls, too, such as that seen around the pe-
featuring flying phoenixes in white against a blue ground, Yuan riphery of the ogival panels on underglaze blue and cop-
dynasty, fourteenth century, 45.5 cm diameter. Originally housed
per red jars, was prominent on eighth-century silk made
at the Ardebil Shrine. Made in Jingdezhen. Iran Bastan Museum, in Sogdia (an ancient central Asian country the territory
Iran.
of which is the Bukara region of present-day Uzbekistan).
This banding motif continued to be used in central and
eastern Asia through the Mongol period, and can be seen

358 Yuan Dynasty Ceramics