Decorative Art

Vase, 1800-1900 (Qing dynasty)
Nephrite, 7.5 in. high
Gift from the William H. and Sophia H. Harrison Collection 2000.13.4

This piece is one of 25 pieces of remarkable jade from the museum’s permanent collection. The pieces come from the William H. and Sophia H. Harrison Collection. The Harrisons skillfully assembled a very fine collection of Chinese jades that spanned thousands of years and incorporated a wide range of forms and styles.

Pieces include vases, vessels, costume accessories, pieces used by ancient archers, carvings of mythical beasts, and other treasures. All offer unique glimpses into China’s rich artistic and cultural heritage.

Although commonly called jade, the material used for all of the Harrison Collection pieces is technically known as nephrite. Nephrite is an extremely hard mineral, making it very difficult to carve. Despite its difficult nature, the creation of jades in China began at least as early as 7,000 B.C. Just as now, they were highly valued and collected over the centuries.

Their value, however, went beyond their sheer beauty. Jades were also thought to possess both magical and moral powers. The great philosopher Confucius (about 551 B.C.–about 478 B.C.) is quoted as saying, “Jade is mild, warm, and lustrous, that is kindness; it is hard and unyielding, that is righteousness; its corners and edges may be sharp, yet it hurts no one, that is character; it can be broken but not bent, that is courage; its beauty and blemishes coexist, that is compassion; when tapped it emits a clear and far-reaching sound, that is eloquence.”