Lidded jar, Vietnam, 1100-1200, Stoneware with ivory and brown glazes, H. 22,90 cm, D. 22,90 cm, The Avery Brundage Collection, San Francisco, Asan Art Museum, inv. B62P53

Early Vietnam was often under Chinese domination, but by the time this jar was made the country had achieved independence and was ruled by native dynasties. In ceramics the Vietnamese now created vigorous and tactile wares like this large jar, of a character quite distinct from Chinese ceramics. Potters experimented freely, drawing inspiration from a variety of sources. The shape of this jar, with lobes outlined by rounded rectangular frames, and its raised decoration of lotus petals strongly suggest a metalwork prototype. These forms may derive from the gold- and silverwork of Vietnam's southern neighbor, the Hindu-Buddhist kingdom of Champa. The jar's feet are in the form of crouching human figures called "Cham slaves" by the Vietnamese