Bowl thumbnail 1
Bowl thumbnail 2
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

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, green-glazed and carved
Brief description
Bowl, carved stoneware with green glaze, Yaozhou ware, Shaanxi province, China, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127)
Physical description
Stoneware bowl with decoration of overlapping lotus petals outside and green glaze
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 14cm
Styles
Gallery label
(2009)
Celadon bowl with lotus petals
Northern China, Yaozhou kilns, Northern Song dynasty, 960-1127
Museum no. Circ.166-1928
Subject 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. 61, nos. 58 and 58a.
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.166-1928

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Record createdApril 9, 2008
Record URL
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