Bottle, Yuan dynasty, 13th-14th century. Stoneware with "cut-glaze" floral decoration, 10-9/16 x 6-1/2 x 6-1/2 in. (26.8 x 16.5 x 16.5 cm). Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton 2001.7.2 © 2015 All Rights Reserved. Minneapolis Institute of Art. 

This beautifully proportioned pear-shaped bottle displays an elegant floral design achieved with the so-called "cut-glaze" technique. This design was produced by cutting and scraping away the glaze and applying wax or oil to the exposed body areas before firing. The incisions combined with the resist successfully confined the glaze to the desired areas. Song dynasty (960-1279) potters introduced a wide variety of decorative techniques to enliven the black-glazed stonewares that had been produced in China since the early Six-Dynasties (fourth century). The earlier wares had been produced as undecorated black or brown monochromes. The cut-glaze technique allowed for the creation of motifs and designs of great clarity and visual strength.