1985.R.914, Vase, porcelain, China, 18th century

Although its unusual shape is probably copied from Middle Eastern water pipes, or kendi, and they are sometimes described as nursing bottles, colorful porcelains, like this one, may have been bought by Europeans merely as decorative objects. The newly developed famille rose enamel palette is used lavishly on the roll-over lip, shoulders, reserves, and neck. Rose also appears in the unusual striping of the spout and globular sides. Similar striping can be seen on the shell of the wall fountain (see 1985.R.843.A-C), confirming the early date of this bottle and the probability that it was intended for the Portuguese market. 

Although their unusual shape is probably copied from Middle Eastern water pipes, or kendi, and they are sometimes described as nursing bottles, these colorful porcelains may have been bought by Europeans merely as decorative objects. The newly developed famille rose enamel palette is used lavishly on the roll-over lip, shoulders, reserves, and neck. Rose also appears in the unusual striping of the spouts and globular sides. Similar striping can be seen on the shell of the wall fountain, confirming the early date of these bottles and the probability that they were intended for the Portuguese market. 

Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection (Dallas, Texas: Dallas Museum of Art, 1985), 193.

During the first quarter of the 18th century, foreign shapes such as this Near Eastern kendi, or water pipe, vase were inspired by European silver forms. Excerpt from Label text, Reves Galleries, Porcelain Gallery, 2018

Until 1985: Emery Reves (1904-1983) and Wendy Reves (1916-2007) (owned jointly), La Pausa, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France [1]

From 1985: Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection, gift of Wendy Reves (1916-2007) [1]

[1] According to: Olivier Meslay and Martha MacLeod, From Chanel to Reves (Dallas, Texas: Dallas Museum of Art, 2015), 4-5.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art~Read more about Chinese Export Porcelain

Apply to objects where number equals 1985.R.914