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

Vase

1150-1279 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown (maker)
Place of origin
Zhejiang (made)

This type of crackle-glaze vase was produced in the vicinity of Hangzhou to the order of the Southern Song court from the mid-12th century, an era of great cultural achievement. Suitably for an official (guan) ware of the Southern Song court, it shows both nobility of form that hints at the Bronze Age style and a subtle and rich glaze. The glaze is of an indefinable creamy-to-pearl grey, applied in many layers, and developing a bold pattern of dark-stained crackle.

Object details

Categories
Ceramics
Containers
Stoneware
Object type
Vase
Materials and techniques
Stoneware, with crackled glaze
Stoneware
Celadon
Glazed
Brief description
Stoneware vase with crackled glaze, Guan ware from the Southern Song dynasty (1150-1279), Chinese.
Physical description
The body material, a slate-grey stoneware, may be seen at the foliated lip where the straight neck spreads outwards and also at the foot where it is partly exposed. The creamy grey glaze is applied in numerous layers and develops a bold pattern of dark crackle. It has a depressed globular body with cylindrical neck and slightly spreading foliate mouth.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10.0cm
  • Diameter: 12.0cm
Styles
Southern Song
Guan
Gallery label
(September 2009)
Jar with crackled glaze
China, Guan kilns
Southern Song dynasty,
1200–1300

In 1126, the Song dynasty lost the northern part of its territories and retreated south to a new capital at Hangzhou. Two new imperial kilns were established nearby for the
production of Guan (‘official’) wares. Guan wares are distinguished by their crackled glazes, which occur when the glaze shrinks more than the clay body. These were created
deliberately, probably by reducing the glaze’s silica content.

Glazed stoneware

Museum no. C.25-1935
Purchased with the assistance of The Art Fund, the Vallentin Bequest,
Sir Percival David and the Universities China Committee
Credit line
Purchased with Art Fund support, the Vallentin Bequest, Sir Percival David and the Universities China Committee
Summary
This type of crackle-glaze vase was produced in the vicinity of Hangzhou to the order of the Southern Song court from the mid-12th century, an era of great cultural achievement. Suitably for an official (guan) ware of the Southern Song court, it shows both nobility of form that hints at the Bronze Age style and a subtle and rich glaze. The glaze is of an indefinable creamy-to-pearl grey, applied in many layers, and developing a bold pattern of dark-stained crackle.
Bibliographic references
  • Kerr, Rose. Song Dynasty Ceramics. London: V&A Publications, 2004. Plate 88.
  • Liefkes, Reino and Hilary Young (eds.) Masterpieces of World Ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V&A Publishing, 2008 pp. 44-45
Collection
East Asia Collection
Accession number
C.25-1935

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Record createdJanuary 20, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O73191/vase-unknown/
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