Tuesday, September 9, 2003

Astronomical Surface Decorations on Ceramics, Japan/China Continuing with yesterday's thin relationship of dragon motif's on pots to the star positions of the constellation Draco.... an attempt to show a star map within- A Chinese vase, 1644-1911 Qing Dynasty, whose dragon(s) are hard to make out. However the museum's text does not go into anything about astronomy. A Chinese censer, 19th C. Ching Dynasty, whose dragon also has some basic elements similar to Draco's. A Japanese bowl, 1868-1912, Meiji period, whose dragon has some of the elements similar to Draco, but who's body just seems too convoluted. A Chinese vase, 19th C. Ching Dynasty, whose dragon is highly abstracted. It is difficult to discern what elements are dragon, and which are cloud or simply design elements. A Japanese or Chinese vase, probably 20th century, whose dragon has elements not similar to Draco's. Not only might a particular dragon be illustrated several ways, there are lots of different dragons. I think this short exploration into Chinese and Japanese mythology and constellations has been fruitful. While I have not found the graphic celestial map I was looking for, I did find a symbolic referent. 2:15:08 PM