Large Lushan Type Phosphatic Glazed Ewer, Tang Dynasty, 618 – 907 A.D. © Zetterquist Galleries

Height: 35cm

A large ewer of Lushan type with high-shouldered body sitting on a widely flared foot-rim. It’s long tapered neck ends in a trefoil-shaped mouth rim, reminiscent of Hellenistic wares passed through Persian and Sasanian metal work forms. A thick, double-strap handle attaches at the shoulder to just under the mouth-rim. The entire piece is covered with a thickly applied grayish white phosphatic glaze, that thins at the extremities of the mouth and handle to a translucent tanish-brown colored glaze. The under-foot is unglazed, revealing a dense, pale grey stoneware body. There are very feint blue streaks on the shoulder.

See He Li’s survey of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s Chinese Ceramics, pl. 150, for a piece of similar form and background glaze color.

The form of this piece is influenced by Hellenistic form as translated by Persian and Sasanian metal-work pieces that were traded to China during the early days of the Silk Road. (Repairs to large chips on mouth-rim and crack on handle.)

Zetterquist Galleries (New York, NY), Chinese and Vietnamese Ceramics with Highlights from the Brow Collection, 10-18 march 2017 at 3 East 66th Street, #1B, New York 10065. T (212) 751 0650 - inquiries@zetterquist.com - zetterquist.com