Bowl with "Rice Grain" Decoration
probably Qianlong period, 1736/1795
Medium
porcelain with colorless glaze
Dimensions
overall: 12.5 x 20 cm (4 15/16 x 7 7/8 in.)
Classification
Decorative Art
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Widener Collection
Accession Number
1942.9.551
Art Historical Context
This exquisite porcelain bowl from China's Qing Dynasty, likely crafted during the Qianlong period1736–1795), exemplifies the era's unparalleled mastery of ceramic artistry. 12.5 x 20 cm, it features colorless glaze that highlights its delicate form and subtle "rice grain" decoration—a technique minute perforations were meticulously drilled into the unfired clay body before glazing. As the glaze flowed over these tiny holes during firing, it created a textured, translucent effect resembling scattered rice grains, evoking natural elegance and technical innovation. The Qianlong reign marked a g...
About the Artist
Chinese Qing Dynasty
"Chinese Qing Dynasty" serves as a collective attribution in museum collections for anonymous artworks produced during China's Qing era (1644–1912), encompassing the works of imperial workshop artisans rather than a single individual. These creators operated primarily from the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen, where potters, painters, and enamellers collaborated under strict court oversight, though sp...