Minneapolis Institute of Art

Bowl

China

Date

12th-13th century

Medium

Ceramic, celadon glaze

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This delicate bowl features a fluted rim and an interior floral design carved under celadon glaze. Cutting into the bowl is a forked crack, which has been filled with gold. This form of ceramic repair is not a Chinese tradition, and indicates that this work was a piece of export ware that was likely mended in Japan using a technique known as kintsugi , where cracks are mended by filling them with lacquer and then sprinkling the repair with gold. It is not known when this repair was made, but its meticulousness expresses how China's neighbors prized her porcelain wares. Asia

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