Imperial Jade Basin
清乾隆御制玉海
A monumental jade basin carved from a single Khotan nephrite boulder for the Qianlong emperor in 1774. The exterior bears a long imperial poem in the emperor's own hand, recording his pride in the artisans who could turn a stone into a vessel.
Object Facts
- Period
- Qing dynasty, Qianlong reign (1735–1796)
- Date
- dated 1774
- Medium
- Nephrite jade
- Dimensions
- H. 19.3 cm; W. 76.1 cm; D. 43 cm; weight ca. 90 kg
- Held by
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York, USA - Accession
- 02.18.689
Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902
Why it matters
Demonstrates the Qing imperial workshops' mastery of jade carving at colossal scale — only possible after the conquest of Xinjiang in 1759 brought Khotan's jade fields into direct imperial control. The piece is signed and dated by the emperor himself.
How it travelled
Part of the Heber Bishop jade collection, the largest single donation of Chinese jade ever made to a Western museum. Bishop assembled it through Beijing dealers in the 1880s–90s, when many imperial pieces were leaking out of the palace storerooms; he gave the entire collection to the Met in 1902.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I see Imperial Jade Basin?+
Imperial Jade Basin is held by the The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA. Accession number 02.18.689. Online catalogue record: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/42060.
When was Imperial Jade Basin created?+
Imperial Jade Basin dates to dated 1774, during the Qing dynasty, Qianlong reign (1735–1796).
What is Imperial Jade Basin made of?+
Imperial Jade Basin is a basin executed in nephrite jade, measuring H. 19.3 cm; W. 76.1 cm; D. 43 cm; weight ca. 90 kg.
How did Imperial Jade Basin end up at the The Met?+
Part of the Heber Bishop jade collection, the largest single donation of Chinese jade ever made to a Western museum. Bishop assembled it through Beijing dealers in the 1880s–90s, when many imperial pieces were leaking out of the palace storerooms; he gave the entire collection to the Met in 1902.
Can I reuse the photograph of Imperial Jade Basin?+
Yes. The The Met has released the image under Creative Commons Zero (CC0), so it is free for any use, commercial or non-commercial, with no attribution required (though attribution is appreciated).
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