This vase is glazed with "mirror-black" or "wujin" glaze. Mirror-black glazed vessels are sometimes produced as monochrome vessels, and sometimes they are decorated with overglaze gold. This vase was once decorated with a landscape composition in gold populated by architectural structures, trees, mountains, human figures, and boats. Overglaze gold decoration is susceptible to wear, and it is likely that a previous owner cleaned this vase of its gold decoration before Isabella Stewart Gardner purchased it.