Vase with Silver Lid

Each of the four sides of this miniature vase is painted in underglaze cobalt blue depicting female figures. The serene scenes appear on the trapezoidal surfaces of the flat sides, which widen at the shoulder and taper to the square foot. Women stand along the fence of a garden as they pick flowers beneath the shade of overhanging trees. On the slanted shoulders is painted appropriately the Taoist Emblem of Lan Cai Ho (patron of florists) the Flower Basket surrounded by floral scrolls. It can be speculated that this bottle was made for export to Holland by way of the East India Trading Company because of the silver cover and stopper-holder. A hallmark of the silversmith can be found on these silver additions that are incised with vines and floral designs.