"Children in the Garden" Blue and White Scroll Pot

Chinese blue and white ceramics have inspired ceramists worldwide since cobalt was first introduced to China from the Middle East thousands of years ago. This porcelain jar was once a feature of a Qing-dynasty scholar's studio, and was intended to contain a collection of scroll paintings. The scroll pot is painted with scenes of children at play in a garden, a traditional motif that implies marital blessings, abundance, and happiness.