Pillow
ca. 1100 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The intricate decoration on this ceramic pillow, made during the Song dynasty (960-1279) in northern China, was made using a mixture of techniques. The roundels on the top face of the pillow were formed using a technique called marbling in which the potter stacked strips of clay together into a cylinder and sliced through horizontally to form a cross section. These sections form the roundels inlayed into the clay surface that forms the top of this pillow.
The pattern filling the remaining surface of the pillow was achieved by creating depressions in the clay, and passing over them with a dark coloured slip (a thinned firing clay) which settled into the grooves. After wiping the surface clean, a cream slip was applied and the piece was fired, creating this ornate two toned pattern.
The pattern filling the remaining surface of the pillow was achieved by creating depressions in the clay, and passing over them with a dark coloured slip (a thinned firing clay) which settled into the grooves. After wiping the surface clean, a cream slip was applied and the piece was fired, creating this ornate two toned pattern.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | stoneware, lead-glazed, punched and inlaid |
| Brief description | Pillow, punched and inlaid stoneware with lead glaze, Cizhou ware, China, Northern Song dynasty, ca. 1100 |
| Physical description | Cizhou ware pillow with punched and inlaid designs covered with cream slip and a lead glaze. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Purchased with Art Fund support, the Vallentin Bequest, Sir Percival David and the Universities China Committee |
| Object history | Eumorfopoulos Collection. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The intricate decoration on this ceramic pillow, made during the Song dynasty (960-1279) in northern China, was made using a mixture of techniques. The roundels on the top face of the pillow were formed using a technique called marbling in which the potter stacked strips of clay together into a cylinder and sliced through horizontally to form a cross section. These sections form the roundels inlayed into the clay surface that forms the top of this pillow. The pattern filling the remaining surface of the pillow was achieved by creating depressions in the clay, and passing over them with a dark coloured slip (a thinned firing clay) which settled into the grooves. After wiping the surface clean, a cream slip was applied and the piece was fired, creating this ornate two toned pattern. |
| Bibliographic reference | Kerr, Rose. Song Dynasty Ceramics. London: V&A Publications, 2004.
p.70, nos.67 and 67a
Kerr, Rose. . London:V&A Publications, 2004. .
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.835-1936 |
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| Record created | June 10, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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