A Sancai-Glazed Globular Jar

Tang dynasty (618-907)
Gongxian kiln, Earthenware
China
H: 12cm D:13.5cm

The Gongxian ware jar has a squat, globular body below a stepped neck and widely-flaring rim, all decorated with brilliantly coloured lead glazes of green, amber and white also known as ‘three-colour’ or sancai-glazes, in a repeated pattern of chevrons falling in streaks and stopping short of the clean splayed foot-ring.

During the Tang Dynasty, the technique of allowing different shades of lead glazes to run over the surface of an object gave rise to the so-called sancai wares, which were produced in the north and gave bright, sharply- contrasting chromatic effects. The objects were fired twice (once for the ceramic body and another time for the glazing).

Provenance:
– Private Japanese Collection.
– Kusaka Shogado, Tokyo, Japan.