Blue and White Tea Leaf Jar

Scholars and their attendants traverse the curves of this delightful Qing-dynasty tealeaf jar executed in the traditional Chinese blue-and-white ceramic tradition. By 1900, when this container was made, tea drinking had already been an important part of Chinese culture for at least a thousand years. Hand-painted in cobalt blue on creamy white porcelain, the jar depicts a garden environment where one might entertain a guest over a cup of tea.