Minneapolis Institute of Art

Dish with scene of monkey on a horse

China

Date

late 16th century

Medium

Porcelain

Department

European Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

At the center of this early “kraak” bowl, made in China for export, a monkey riding a horse forms the visual puzzle known as mashang fenghou (“may you be made marquis at once”). The horse—long associated with speed, power, and military achievement—reinforces the wish for rapid advancement and honor. Such auspicious messages were popular on porcelain traded to Europe in the late 16th–17th century. Here, the molded and painted panel design, filled with cobalt-blue natural motifs, reflects the decorative style that made kraak ware highly desirable abroad, while the puzzle, known as a rebus, expresses hopes for success in both official and commercial realms. Asia

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