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

Stemcup

14th century (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.

Although some were made in northern China, green-glazed wares remained a speciality of the south; this stemcup was produced at the Longquan kilns in Zhejiang province. 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
Materials and techniques
Stoneware with incised decoration and green glaze
Brief description
Stemcup, stoneware with incised decoration and green 'celadon' glaze, Longquan ware, China, Yuan dynasty, 14th century
Physical description
Stemcup, with rounded bowl flat on the bottom inside and with everted rim, heavily potted, and standing on a high stem spreading towards the foot, ribbed like bamboo, and partially hollow. Stoneware covered with a pea-green celadon glaze. Inside on the bottom is a faint incised design, probably a floral spray.
Dimensions
  • Height: 11.8cm
  • Diameter: 12.9cm
Styles
Gallery label
Celadon dish, jar, stem cup and double-walled bottle Southern China, Longquan kilns, (2–4) 1300–1400; (5) 1300–1500 The characters on the dish mean ‘great good fortune’. Museum nos. C.40-1959, given by Miss A.V. Hammond in memory of F.D. Hammond; 712-1883; FE.18-1970, Dame Ada McNaghten Bequest; 1111-1875(September 2009)
Credit line
Bequeathed by Dame Ada MacNaghten
Production
label
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.

Although some were made in northern China, green-glazed wares remained a speciality of the south; this stemcup was produced at the Longquan kilns in Zhejiang province. 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’.
Collection
Accession number
FE.18-1970

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Record createdJanuary 8, 2009
Record URL
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