Vase with archaic carved decoration

The carving on this vase follows the patterning of an ancient bronze original. The design, which would have been prepared by the imperial workshop (Zaobanchu) in Beijing for the potters at the imperial kiln in Jingdezhen, was no doubt copied from an ancient bronze then in the imperial collection. In the case of a complicated design of this kind, it is very probable that a wood model of the bronze was turned and then carved with the relief designs to act as a guide.