Chinese Ceramic Mao Vase

A folded, twin-lobed brush pot with portrait medallions, red suns and columns of script.

This Mao vase is from Hebei Province, China, and is contemporary. It is glazed pottery. Propaganda posters of the era generally pictured a utopian society, with smiling farmers, brave soldiers and happy people gathered around Mao, who was cast as a benevolent father and wise teacher. A white pot with a zigzag, double-lobed rim and wavy foot, decorated with round photo-style portraits in medallions, red rays and flowers, and tight columns of black script on the center panel. The glaze shows light crazing. It is 8 inches wide, 4.5 deep and 7.25 high.

Every panel is busy, and every inch is accounted for.