One of the David Vases: altar-vase
- Gallery: Room 95
- Culture: Yuan dynasty
- Made in: Jingdezhen
- Date: 1351
- Object type: altar-vase
- Materials: porcelain
- Museum number: PDF,B.614
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is "One of the David Vases," a large porcelain altar-vase from the Yuan dynasty. Created in 1351 in Jingdezhen, this vase is one of the most famous works of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain.
Notice the elegant bronze form, the two elephant-head handles, and the detailed underglaze blue decoration. A four-clawed dragon swims through swirling clouds, while bands of peonies and plantain leaves frame the piece. The vase's inscribed neck bears a dedication in Chinese, marking it as the earliest dated blue-and-white porcelain ever recorded.
This vase was originally presented as an offering to a Daoist temple in modern-day Wuyuan county. Its intricate design and historical inscription offer rare insight into Yuan dynasty porcelain production. Today, it stands as a masterpiece of craftsmanship and cultural history.
See it in person
One of the David Vases: altar-vase is on display in Room 95 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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