Cizhou-type black-glazed jar

A Cizhou-type black-glazed jar of ovoid form, the cylindrical neck with lipped mouth set with a pair of strap handles adorned with incised lines. The body is decorated with sections of sharply defined vertical ribs and covered overall in a lustrous black glaze, thinning to russet at the ribs and mouth, stopping short above the foot revealing a brown slip layer underneath. The inside of the neck is partly covered with glaze, whereas the rest of the interior and base are covered with brown slip.

Black wares of different shapes and designs were considered highly desirable in the Song dynasty and were produced by most successful kilns. The use of the white ribs as decoration reveals a preference for contrasting elements to the dark glaze. Jars of this type were produced by various kilns in northern China, such as in Henan, Shandong, and Hebei provinces.[1] An almost identical jar in size and decoration is in the Meiyintang collection.[2]

Provenance:
Formerly in a Dutch private collection

1. Krahl, R., Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, Azimut Editions, London 2006, vol. 3 (2), pp 494, 519
2. Krahl, R., op. cit. p. 519