Rare Song Dynasty Chinese Qingbai Glazed Ewer, 10th–12th Century

DescriptionA refined Chinese Qingbai glazed porcelain ewer dating to the Song Dynasty (960–1279). The vessel features a graceful lobed body rising to a tall neck with a gently flared mouth, accompanied by an elegant curved handle and elongated pouring spout. The body is vertically lobed, echoing the form of a blooming lotus bud, a motif frequently referenced in Song dynasty ceramics and closely associated with purity and spiritual harmony.The ewer is covered in a luminous Qingbai glaze, a translucent pale bluish-white glaze admired for its quiet elegance and jade-like appearance. The glaze displays a fine network of natural craquelure developed over centuries, while subtle pooling within the carved lobes emphasizes the sculptural form of the vessel.Qingbai wares were produced primarily in the kilns surrounding Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province, one of the most important ceramic production centers in Chinese history. The porcelain clay used in these wares was sourced from nearby mountains rich in kaolin and porcelain stone, materials that allowed potters to produce strong yet thin vessels capable of withstanding extremely high firing temperatures.After the vessel was thrown and shaped on the potter’s wheel, the lobed body was carefully formed and refined before being coated in a glaze composed primarily of finely ground stone with small amounts of iron oxide. The ewer was then fired in a large wood-burning dragon kiln, a long sloped kiln built along hillsides. During firing, the kiln atmosphere was reduced (oxygen limited), allowing the iron in the glaze to transform into the delicate blue tone that defines Qingbai ceramics. These kilns often reached temperatures of 1200–1300°C (2200–2370°F), fully vitrifying the porcelain body.Ewers of this type were used for pouring wine, tea, or water and were prized not only for their practical use but also for their refined aesthetic qualities. The restrained elegance of form and glaze exemplifies the Song dynasty’s philosophy of beauty through balance, subtlety, and harmony with nature. Very good original condition.Age: Song Dynasty, circa 10th–12th centuryDimensions: 10 3/4″ high 5 1/4″ diameter