明晚期 景德鎮窯青花桶形水指|Freshwater jar

Unknown

early 17th century · Porcelain painted with cobalt blue under a transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware for Japanese market) · Asian Art

During the seventeenth century, as imperial patronage waned, potters at the Chinese kilns of Jingdezhen sought other markets. One of these was Japan, where the popularity of the tea ceremony contributed to growing demand for Chinese ceramics. This porcelain jar, made to hold water during the tea ceremony, was fashioned in the form of a humble wooden bucket, a combination of high and low that appealed to Japanese patrons. The uneven thickness of the glaze and occasional exposure of the clay beneath would have been considered defects in China, but they were prized in Japan for capturing a sense of authenticity.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 17th century

Medium

Porcelain painted with cobalt blue under a transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware for Japanese market)

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2013