Cleveland Museum of Art

Teabowl with Tortoiseshell Glaze

Date

1100s–1200s

Medium

Brown-glazed stoneware with "tortoiseshell" pattern, Jizhou ware

Culture

China, Jiangxi Province, Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279)

Department

Chinese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This teacup with a so-called tortoiseshell glaze is a fine example of southern ware from Jizhou, where potters specialized in brown splashed glazes sometimes resembling partridge feathers or tortoise shells. The variety of dark glazes and vessel types produced by the Jizhou kilns are evidence of the popularity of black ware at the time. Jizhou kiln potters competed with the Jian kilns which produced almost exclusively teacups, such as the Black-Glazed Teabowl ( CMA 2020.176 ) and the Black-Glazed Teabowl with Incised Characters ( CMA 2020.175 ). The Jizhou kiln site is designated as one of fifty-one Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Jiangxi province.

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