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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White ware ewer with basket-weave decoration

  • loan
  • Literature notes

    The piece may have been inspired by vases of the Yongzheng period (1723–1735) which are decorated with similar basket-weave designs; see a piece in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated in Rose Kerr, Chinese Ceramics: Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty 1644–1911, London, 1986, pl.60. The thin, insubstantial porcelain and unbalanced form of the present piece are, however, not in keeping with a Qing dynasty (1644–1911) date.

    The ewer has an ovoid body with a recessed base and a small everted rim to receive the slightly concave cover. The piece is modelled as if placed in a netting of wicker or rope, the body decorated with a low-relief band of entwined strands, and spout and handle forming twisted loops. Those of the spout are hollow, provided with a small opening on top, and open into the body. The cover has a curved stem as knob and is also pierced with a hole. The white porcelain has a grainy surface, and is glazed, except for the base and rims. The spout shows some brown colouration.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia China (place of creation)
    Date
    1911 - 1968
    Material and technique
    porcelain, thrown, with white glaze; handles hand-modelled and luted to the ewer with slip
    Dimensions
    15 x 15 x 10.9 cm (height x width x depth)
    at base 5.8 cm (diameter)
    Material index
    Technique index
    Object type index
    containervessel ewer,
    No. of items
    2
    Credit line
    Lent by the Sir Alan Barlow Collection Trust.
    Accession no.
    LI1301.377
  • 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. C376a

Glossary (4)

glaze, luted, porcelain, slip

  • 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.

  • porcelain

    Ceramic material composed of kaolin, quartz, and feldspar which is fired to a temperature of c.1350-1400⁰c. The resulting ceramic is vitreous, translucent, and white in colour.

  • slip

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

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 piece may have been inspired by vases of the Yongzheng period (1723–1735) which are decorated with similar basket-weave designs; see a piece in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated in Rose Kerr, Chinese Ceramics: Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty 1644–1911, London, 1986, pl.60. The thin, insubstantial porcelain and unbalanced form of the present piece are, however, not in keeping with a Qing dynasty (1644–1911) date.

    The ewer has an ovoid body with a recessed base and a small everted rim to receive the slightly concave cover. The piece is modelled as if placed in a netting of wicker or rope, the body decorated with a low-relief band of entwined strands, and spout and handle forming twisted loops. Those of the spout are hollow, provided with a small opening on top, and open into the body. The cover has a curved stem as knob and is also pierced with a hole. The white porcelain has a grainy surface, and is glazed, except for the base and rims. The spout shows some brown colouration.
Notice

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