Description

A Chinese incised Qingbai Southern Song Dynasty bowl, of great beauty. It has clean and pure lines; the decorative features are minimalist, the craftsmanship is flawless, and the glaze is luminous. This bowl, with its carved peony design, is Jingdezhen ware, 1127-1279.
The secret of making porcelain was not known in Europe until the late 17th/early 18th century, centuries after this lovely dish had been created.
The Song Dynasty preference for monochrome wares with bold profiles and innovative forms is one we see revived by many ceramicists in the 21st century, It is extraordinary to think these ceramics potted nearly 1,000 years ago could so easily be mistaken for contemporary works.
Song Dynasty ceramics are characterised by their refined and elegant forms, their subtle, monochrome glazes and their simple yet impactful decorative motifs.
'Qingbai' meaning 'green-white' was produced under the Song and Yuan Dynasty. In addition to the advances in chemistry that allowed the production of thin-walled vessels, Qingbai is distinguished by its smooth, glassy glaze, achieved by using a small amount of iron in a reduction fired kiln. The result is the characteristic blue-green tinted finish.
SIZE: 8.25 x 3.25 inches.
CONDITION: The glaze is perfect, no abrasions, but there is a hair crack (see image 5)
PROVENANCE: Discovered in a tomb near Beijing and brought into this country in 1997, when China opened to the outside world, by the specialist antiquities dealer 'Ancient World' of York.
Then in a Yorkshire collection for the next 24 years.
Internal Ref: 8025

Dimensions

Height = 8 cm (3")
Width = 21 cm (8")
Depth = 21 cm (8")