Rare Song Dynasty Chinese Celadon Glazed Chrysanthemum Bowl, 11th Century

DescriptionA rare and refined Chinese celadon glazed bowl dating to the Song Dynasty (960–1279), beautifully formed in the shape of an open chrysanthemum blossom. The bowl features radiating carved lobes that create a graceful petal-like rim, an elegant form inspired by the chrysanthemum flower, one of the most admired motifs in Chinese art symbolizing longevity, perseverance, and scholarly virtue.The bowl is covered in a soft celadon glaze with subtle blue-green tones, creating a surface that evokes the appearance of polished jade. Fine craquelure across the glaze developed naturally over centuries and is typical of high-fired Song dynasty ceramics. The glaze gently pools within the carved petal recesses while becoming lighter toward the center, emphasizing the delicate floral structure of the vessel.During the Song Dynasty, ceramic production reached extraordinary technical refinement. The clay used for celadon wares was carefully sourced from mineral-rich deposits found in the mountains of southern China, particularly in regions such as Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces, where potters had access to fine stoneware clays capable of withstanding very high firing temperatures. These clays were washed and refined before being shaped on the potter’s wheel and carefully carved while still leather-hard to create the chrysanthemum petal form.After shaping and carving, the bowl was coated in a celadon glaze made from a mixture of ground stone and small amounts of iron oxide. The piece was then fired in a wood-burning dragon kiln, a long sloping kiln built along a hillside that allowed heat to travel upward through multiple chambers. During firing, the kiln atmosphere was reduced (limited oxygen), allowing the iron in the glaze to produce the characteristic soft green-blue celadon color. Temperatures often reached 1200–1300°C (2200–2370°F), vitrifying the clay body and creating the durable stoneware that Song dynasty ceramics are renowned for.Song potters were celebrated for their pursuit of harmony between form, glaze, and natural inspiration, favoring quiet elegance over elaborate decoration. Bowls like this would have been appreciated not only for daily use but also for their aesthetic beauty in refined scholarly settings.Age: Song Dynasty, circa 10th–13th centuryDimensions: 4 1/4″ high x 10″ diameter