BOWL, White-glazed, Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE)

White-glazed bowl from the Song Dynasty.

A small bowl with a shallowly flared profile, characterized by a slightly irregular rim and a low, cut-away foot.
The white glaze ranges from ash-gray to a pale yellowish tint, and reddish earth-staining is visible around the rim and foot. Rather than a strong white, the glaze shows a subdued, weathered quality characteristic of excavated wares.

In addition to the refined white porcelains of kilns such as Ding, Song dynasty white-glazed ceramics also include many everyday bowls and dishes produced at regional kilns.
This bowl, too, is less a vessel made to achieve a pristine white than a single example that preserves the glaze’s cloudiness, the red of the clay, and traces of uneven firing. Its low foot and unadorned trimming convey the tactile character typical of vernacular Song ceramics.

The interior shows areas of glaze pooling and fine crazing, and the glaze surface is punctuated by small iron spots and kiln scars.
Traces of trimming remain from the exterior to the footring, and within the footring there are soil staining and adherent deposits. Small chips and areas of glaze abrasion are present around the rim; nevertheless, the piece retains a stable condition consistent with its age as an antique ceramic.

It may also be interpreted as a stand for Chinese tea or for sencha.