Box

Incorrectly dated as a Xuande piece several times in the past, this work must now be reattributed to the Kangxi reign. Like the previous object (cat. no. 525), this box has a mark on the base that translates "produced during the Xuande reign of the great Ming dynasty." Qing white-glazed wares with Ming marks reflect the revival of a classical tianbai ("sweet white") glaze. The whole impression of the craftsmanship, with the sharply molded decoration and the lightly potted body coated with the rather thin glaze, differs from Xuande white-glazed ware. Moreover, the formation of the entirely molded ornament of chrysanthemum petals in three layers on the lid and surrounding the body has not been found on Xuande white-glazed ware.