Bowl thumbnail 1
Bowl thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 145

Bowl

Bowl
960-1127 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

China produced many types of green-glazed wares, in shades ranging from olive to grass to grey-blue. Resembling jade, they were admired for their tranquil beauty. They were often used in Buddhist tea ceremonies and meditation rituals.

The most popular examples were made in the south, at the Yue and Longquan kilns in Zhejiang province, but some kilns in the north also specialised in green-glazed wares. The Yaozhou kilns in Shaanxi province excelled in the production of objects with bold carved or moulded designs under a green olive glaze.

Green-glazed vessels were exported in large quantities to South-east Asia and the Middle East. Later European collectors gave these wares the fanciful name of ‘celadon’.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleBowl
Materials and techniques
Stoneware with carved decoration and green glaze
Brief description
Bowl, stoneware with carved and combed decoration, Yaozhou ware, China, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127)
Physical description
Stoneware bowl with carved and combed lotus decoration under a green 'celadon' glaze.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 14cm
Styles
Gallery label
Celadon bowl Northern China, Yaozhou kilns, Northern Song dynasty, 960-1127, with carved decoration Museum no. C.504-1919(September 2009)
Subjects depicted
Summary
China produced many types of green-glazed wares, in shades ranging from olive to grass to grey-blue. Resembling jade, they were admired for their tranquil beauty. They were often used in Buddhist tea ceremonies and meditation rituals.

The most popular examples were made in the south, at the Yue and Longquan kilns in Zhejiang province, but some kilns in the north also specialised in green-glazed wares. The Yaozhou kilns in Shaanxi province excelled in the production of objects with bold carved or moulded designs under a green olive glaze.

Green-glazed vessels were exported in large quantities to South-east Asia and the Middle East. Later European collectors gave these wares the fanciful name of ‘celadon’.
Bibliographic reference
Kerr, Rose. Song Dynasty Ceramics. London: V&A Publications, 2004. p. 16, no. 9.
Collection
Accession number
C.504-1919

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Record createdMarch 12, 2008
Record URL
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