Jar with Floral Scrolls and Wrapped-Cloth Design

Unknown artist

The complexity of the decoration on this jar illustrates the taste of the Qianlong period, when lush floral scrolls were found in all media. The structured placement of the flowers on this jar, however, differs from the more fluid renderings often found in Chinese art, and it is possible that these designs were inspired by Indian textiles, which were traded globally in the eighteenth century. Although often associated with Japan, the wrapping of jars and other containers with fine textiles before presenting them (and presumably their contents) as gifts was also practiced in China.