Tea Bowl
Unknown Artist
1100s–1200s
Medium
Stoneware with black “hare’s fur” glaze and metal-bound rim, Jian ware
Dimensions
h. 8.7 cm · diam. 17.8 cm
Classification
Ceramic
Department
Chinese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1948.206
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Due to its exceptional size, this Fujian tea bowl is rather rare. The enjoyment of Jian ware rests with the glaze transmutation due to iron in the glaze, which developed into reddish-brown streaks and spots against a rich black glaze after firing. Connoisseurs called these iron formations "hare’s fur" marks, and the ware was very popular with the tea cultures in China and Japan.