Small vase 1662 - 1722

This small vase, crafted by an unknown Chinese artisan, is adorned with scenes rendered in cobalt blue underglaze. Notice the figure on horseback near the base of the vase, which represents a warrior or nobleman, a motif echoing across cultures from the equestrian statues of Roman emperors to Renaissance portrayals of triumphant knights. The rider embodies power, control, and the heroic spirit, deeply embedded in our collective psyche. Above this, we see a boat amidst a waterscape. The boat, a symbol of journey and transition, appears in countless mythologies. Think of Charon ferrying souls across the River Styx, or the ships that carried explorers to new worlds, fraught with both hope and peril. These images, seemingly disparate, are interconnected through shared human experiences and the enduring power of symbols that transcend time and place. It is a reminder of how motifs resurface, evolve, and gain new layers of meaning.