Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

The Barlow Collection

A select catalogue of the Barlow collection of Chinese Ceramics, Bronzes and Jades by the University of Sussex (published Sussex, 2006).

The Barlow Collection by the University of Sussex

Publications online: 456 objects

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Greenware narcissus bowl with four feet in the form of ruyi sceptres

  • loan
  • Literature notes

    The feet of this piece are shaped like the top of ruyi sceptres, talismans believed to bestow good luck. Ruyi means ‘as you wish’ and the ruyi sceptre derives its shape from the longevity fungus (lingzhi).

    The small piece is thickly potted with curved sides, a rounded flange at the rim and a flat flange above a low circular foot around which four ruyi-shaped feet are attached, on which the piece rests. The base is slightly convex, with a circular concave patch in the centre. The piece is undecorated except for the moulded relief of the feet. The grey stoneware is thinly covered with a grey-green glaze, which leaves much of the centre inside and the base exposed in the biscuit.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia China (south) (place of creation)
    AsiaChinaZhejiang province Longquan kilns (probable place of creation)
    Date
    11th - 12th century (1001 - 1200)
    Northern Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1127)
    Material and technique
    stoneware, thrown, with moulded decoration under a green glaze; feet moulded and luted to the bowl with slip; glazed base; glazed rim
    Dimensions
    5.1 cm (height)
    14.4 cm (diameter)
    Material index
    Technique index
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Lent by the Sir Alan Barlow Collection Trust.
    Accession no.
    LI1301.310
  • Further reading

    University of Sussex, and Arts and Humanities Research Council, The Barlow Collection, supervised by Regina Krahl, Maurice Howard, and Aiden Leeves (Sussex: University of Sussex, 2006), no. C307

Glossary (4)

glaze, luted, slip, stoneware

  • glaze

    Vitreous coating applied to the surface of a ceramic to make it impermeable or for decorative effect.

  • luted

    The fusion of parts of ceramics using dilute clay slip.

  • slip

    A semi-fluid clay applied to a ceramic before glazing either to coat the surface or for decorative effect.

  • stoneware

    Ceramic material made of clay which is fired to a temperature of c.1200-1300⁰c and is often buff or grey in colour.

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • The Barlow Collection by the University of Sussex

    The Barlow Collection

    The feet of this piece are shaped like the top of ruyi sceptres, talismans believed to bestow good luck. Ruyi means ‘as you wish’ and the ruyi sceptre derives its shape from the longevity fungus (lingzhi).

    The small piece is thickly potted with curved sides, a rounded flange at the rim and a flat flange above a low circular foot around which four ruyi-shaped feet are attached, on which the piece rests. The base is slightly convex, with a circular concave patch in the centre. The piece is undecorated except for the moulded relief of the feet. The grey stoneware is thinly covered with a grey-green glaze, which leaves much of the centre inside and the base exposed in the biscuit.
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Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

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