Art Institute of Chicago

Bottle-Shaped Vase

China

Date

Qing dynasty (1644–1911), c. 18th century

Medium

Porcelain with purple flambé glaze

Culture

China

Department

Arts of Asia

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This vase’s rich glaze was created when a potter fired it in a kiln with restricted oxygen at a high temperature. The copper oxides in the glaze transformed unpredictably into streaks of crimson, violet, and blue to create what is known as “flambé glaze.” Potters carefully manipulated kiln conditions in this process, called reduction firing, yet embraced the chance effects that gave each piece its unique, flame-like character. These striking results captivated European collectors, and ceramicists such as French artist Taxile Doat sought to reproduce the fluid, iridescent effects in their own work in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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