Large Jar

Chinese Qing Dynasty

National Gallery of Art

This is an intricately decorated vase with a lid. The surface is predominantly black. The design includes an array of green leaves and white branches with bright orange-red and white blooms. The vase also includes a depiction of a fantastical creature with a long, thin neck, white scales or feathers, a yellow body, and green wings. The lid of the vase continues the intricate pattern, with additional floral elements in red and green. In between the branches and leaves are large overlapping rectangular shapes in pale green.