Square vase with lid

The neck of this vase is ornamented with animal masks attached with loose rings. A coiled dragon surmounts the square lid. The face of the vase depicts an old man riding a donkey and holding a plum branch in his hand. This is probably Meng Haoran, who looked for plum blossoms in the snow. A few overhanging cliffs, without any vegetation, provide an austere background. The reverse shows a lone plum tree.

Meng Haoran searching for plum blossoms in the snow was a popular theme in the decorative arts of China. The chrysanthemum blooming beneath the donkey provides a clue that this vase was made in the 1900s, when craftworkers were more lax with jade iconography. Traditionally, this scene was supposed to take place in the dead of winter, when the only flower blooming was the plum; so the chrysanthemum had no place. The vase was crafted with the high technical skill achieved by later artisans, whose understanding of traditional motifs left something to be desired.