Ewer

Decorated with birds and flower sprays in underglaze cobalt blue, this porcelain drinking vessel, called a kendi, was made in China during the first part of the seventeenth century and exported to Europe, probably by Portuguese traders. At the time, Chinese porcelains were available in the West only to the wealthy and elite. Such highly prized objects were sometimes furnished with mounts made of precious metals, to enhance and protect them.

The English silver mounts added to this vessel make it more suitable for Western use. The original bulbous spout, decorated with Buddhist auspicious motifs, was extended with a silver pouring spout in the form of a griffin or dragon’s head. A domed lid was added to the open neck, and a handle with a thumbpiece in the form of a winged mermaid was attached.

The kendi drinking vessel derives from an Indian ritual vessel called a kundika, a bottlelike metal vessel with a spherical body, an elongated neck, and a pouring spout that was used to sprinkle holy water in Buddhist rituals. Ceramic versions were produced in Southeast Asia and in China around the eighth century. This particular form with a bulbous spout appeared in Southeast Asia starting from the fourteenth century. The popularity of the shape led to the manufacture of blue-and-white porcelain versions in China to satisfy the demand from the Southeast Asian market. Exported to the Middle East, the form was adapted for use as a hookah, or water pipe.