Changsha Ewer, Tang Dynasty

About the Item

It features two small lug handles on either side of the neck and a spout opposite the main handle. This ewer might have been used for wine or other liquids, which were poured through the spout for drinking or ceremonial purposes. Date : 9th Century Made in : Hunan province Dimension : 17.5cm (Height) x 7.5cm(Mouth Diameter) Condition : Fair (some stains on the small two handles) Provenance : Acquired in 1999, Hongkong * Changsha Ware Multiple “wares,” or styles, of pottery were developed during the Tang Dynasty. Many of these wares featured sancai glazing, a distinct color palette of lead glazes brushed, dipped, and poured over the vessel. Sancai glazed pottery used three colors derived from minerals: yellow-brown from iron oxide, green from copper oxide, and white from lead. Rarely, ceramicists included cobalt to create a blue glaze, but it was far too expensive for regular use. Changsha Ware is a classic example of a three-color sancai ware. Yet, it is also a style that revitalized ancient Chinese pottery. It was the first time that ceramicists perfected the underglaze painting technique. Artists decorated their clay bowls, jars, and figurines with colorful paintings and delicate calligraphy which were then protected by a transparent coat of lead glaze. Changsha Ware was produced with distinct and recognizable designs and motifs. Painted designs often depict flowers, vines, and mountain landscapes. Some painting is simply splotches of color that accentuate stamped and molded clay ornaments. Being sold overseas, Changsha Ware integrated foreign cultural elements with traditional Chinese aesthetic principles. Changsha Ware varies widely in form. To make sense of this variability, objects are typically classified into functional categories such as bowls, pots, ewers (or jugs), plates, boxes, lamps, pillows, candlesticks, censers, water droppers, mortars, paper weights, tea grinders, and figurines. Examples of these forms can be found below. References : Timothy S.Y. Lam Museum of Anthropology

Dimensions:

Height: 6.89 in (17.5 cm)Diameter: 2.96 in (7.5 cm)

Style:

Tang (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Pottery,Stoneware

Place of Origin:

China

Period:

15th Century and Earlier

Date of Manufacture:

9th Century