The Barlow Collection
A select catalogue of the Barlow collection of Chinese Ceramics, Bronzes and Jades by the University of Sussex (published Sussex, 2006).
Publications online: 456 objects
Cizhou ware vase with floral decoration and foliated rim
- loan
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Literature notes
This piece, which is inscribed in ink with a date, has often been used as evidence for dating a whole range of painted ‘Cizhou’ ware. The date, however, is inscribed on a double base, which most probably was added later. Although the base fits very well in shape and size, the custom of adding a separately made base to a vessel is not known from the Jin dynasty (1115–1234).
The partly illegible inscription reads ? yu ? ? nian wu yue chu (‘beginning of the fifth month of the … year of the …yu period’) and the date has been interpreted as ‘eleventh year of Chunyu’, a reign period of the Southern Song dynasty, the year corresponding to 1251. Neither the first character of the reign name, nor the figure are clearly legible, however, and it seems surprising to find a piece made in North China to be inscribed with a Southern Song date.
The vase has a wide shoulder, a narrow waisted neck which flares to a foliated five-lobed rim, and rests on a wide foot, which is supported on a separately attached, conical plinth. The shoulder shows two grooves. The buff stoneware is slipped, painted in iron-brown with a floral sprig on both sides, each with a pendant pointed bloom among foliage, and covered with a crazed, yellow-tinged transparent glaze, which stops around the foot. The support is unglazed, the joint hidden under white slip. The underside of the support is inscribed in black ink with eight Chinese characters. -
Details
- Associated place
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Asia › China › Cizhou kiln-sites (place of creation)
- Date
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12th - 13th century (1101 - 1300)
Jin Dynasty (1115 - 1234)
- Material and technique
- stoneware, thrown, covered in white slip, and with brown slip-painted decoration under a transparent glaze; unglazed base, with ink inscription; glazed rim
- Dimensions
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20.3 cm (height)
9.4 cm (diameter)
at base 7.4 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.
- LI1301.187
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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. C176
Glossary (3)
glaze, slip, stoneware
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glaze
Vitreous coating applied to the surface of a ceramic to make it impermeable or for decorative effect.
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slip
A semi-fluid clay applied to a ceramic before glazing either to coat the surface or for decorative effect.
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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
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- 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
This piece, which is inscribed in ink with a date, has often been used as evidence for dating a whole range of painted ‘Cizhou’ ware. The date, however, is inscribed on a double base, which most probably was added later. Although the base fits very well in shape and size, the custom of adding a separately made base to a vessel is not known from the Jin dynasty (1115–1234).
The partly illegible inscription reads ? yu ? ? nian wu yue chu (‘beginning of the fifth month of the … year of the …yu period’) and the date has been interpreted as ‘eleventh year of Chunyu’, a reign period of the Southern Song dynasty, the year corresponding to 1251. Neither the first character of the reign name, nor the figure are clearly legible, however, and it seems surprising to find a piece made in North China to be inscribed with a Southern Song date.
The vase has a wide shoulder, a narrow waisted neck which flares to a foliated five-lobed rim, and rests on a wide foot, which is supported on a separately attached, conical plinth. The shoulder shows two grooves. The buff stoneware is slipped, painted in iron-brown with a floral sprig on both sides, each with a pendant pointed bloom among foliage, and covered with a crazed, yellow-tinged transparent glaze, which stops around the foot. The support is unglazed, the joint hidden under white slip. The underside of the support is inscribed in black ink with eight Chinese characters.
Notice
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