Minneapolis Institute of Art

Pear-shaped Bottle

China

Date

12th-13th century

Medium

Cizhou type ware Stoneware with black glaze and russet splashes markings

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Used for storing wine during the Jin (1115-1234) and Yuan (1280-1368) dynasties, pear-shaped bottles of this type are usually called either ping (bottles) or changqing ping (long-necked bottles) by the Chinese. The form originated in silver vessels and was quickly imitated in ceramic Ding ware during the eleventh century. The dark-brown, almost black glaze is applied over a layer of white slip, a technique common to the Cizhou and Cizhou-type kilns of Henan province. The surface is further enhanced with thick, silvery russet iron-oxide glaze with two bands of five alternating abstracted leaf-shaped splashes. Cizhou kilns are best known for the production of brown and white decorated ware, but they were very competitive and imitated black and brown wares that were popularized by other kilns in different regions of China. Asia

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