Song Dynasty Qingbai Porcelain Bowl

Southern Song dynasty, 1127-1275AD, Jiangxi province, China.

Beautiful Song dynasty porcelain bowl. The ceramic art of the Song Dynasty has historically been divided into two distinct periods of manufacture, the Northern Song (960-1127) and the Southern Song (1127-1275). The Song court favored elegant ceramics with simple and refined forms and subtle glazes, reflecting the aesthetic values and introspective atmosphere of the time. 

In the Song dynasty, there were six prominent ‘kiln groups’: Ding, Jun, Yaozhou, Cizhou in Northern China and Longquan and Jingdezhen in the South. Each kiln group consisted of several kilns. As to glaze, colour and form, each of them had their specialty. The wares of the Song Dynasty were primarily stoneware, except for the porcelaneous Ding and Qingbai wares. The former were produced in Jiancicun in Quyang County, Hebei province and the latter at a number of locations in Jiangxi province including Jingdezhen, where porcelain production was to be later centred. According to the colour of the glaze, monochrome stoneware and porcelain is usually categorized into green, white, black and greenish-white colour. The colour of the glaze is mainly determined by the iron amount in the glaze. The decoration on Song ceramics is modest and simple, if compared with later dynasties. Decorative patterns were mainly done by engraving, incising, stamping and impressing. In the early Song period engraving was the most common decoration technique and used in all kilns. 

A finely potted small-sized porcelain bowl supported by shallow footrim are probably from a kiln in Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province. Delicate pale greenish white Qingbai glaze covers upper portion of the bowl. Good condition. Intact. Age-related minimal wear. Discolouring and glazing flaws. Size approx. 4,1cm x 12,7cm x 12,7cm.

Provenance: Finnish private collection

References and further reading:

Song to Yuan dynasties 960–1350, National Palace Museum, Taipei.(https://www.npm.edu.tw/exh99/ceramics/en/page-3.html#main)

The Enchantment of Song, Ying Jang & Annika Waenerberg, 2002, Academia.(https://www.academia.edu/10582197/The_Enchantment_of_Song)