Ovoid covered jar with peach blossom on 'crackled ice'
ca. 1680 - ca. 1720
Medium
turning
Dimensions
21.6
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
height 21.6 cm
Art Historical Context
This exquisite ovoid covered jar, 21.6 cm in height, exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of anonymous artisans from circa 1680 1720. Shaped using the turning technique—where wheel-thrown clay is precisely on a lathe—the vessel features a poetic design of peach blossoms floating delicately over a 'crack ice' ground. This motif captures nature's fleeting beauty, with the blossoms evoking spring's gentle arrival against a wintery, textured glaze resembling fractured ice. Dating to the late 17th to early 18th century, the jar likely hails from China's Qing dynasty, a golden age for ceramics when potters mastered complex glazes through innovative firing methods. The crackled effect, formed by subtle differences in clay and glaze contraction during cooling, adds depth and tactility, highlighting the technical sophistication of the era. Prized for both utility and display, such covered jars served as storage for precious goods or elegant tableware. This piece invites visitors to appreciate the harmonious blend of form, function, and symbolism in early modern pottery, a testament to enduring artistic ingenuity.
About the Artist
anonymous
In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...