Item No.: 1092
Name: A famille rose jar with farming and weaving scenes, from a non-imperial kiln
Period: Qing dynasty, Qianlong reign
Height: 20.2 cm
The body, glaze, and mark indicate production at a non-imperial kiln. The decoration nevertheless has considerable historical interest. It reflects the traditional ideal of a household in which men farm and women weave, as well as the Qianlong court’s emphasis on agriculture and sericulture. The Chinese commentary cites the emperor’s concern that when a man does not cultivate the land or a woman does not weave, someone may suffer hunger or cold.
The scenes appear to echo that policy. Farmers plant rice and apply fertilizer, women reel silk and spin thread, and children gather mulberry leaves and tend cattle. Together these activities present a cheerful vision of productive work and family harmony.