Song Dynasty Cizhou Kiln White‑Ground Ink‑Painted Lotus‑Fish Conical Bowls, Pair

拍品描述

Dimensions：Mouth Diameter 15.5 cm (6.1 in), Height 5.5 cm (2.2 in), Base Diameter 5.9 cm (2.3 in), 10th‑13th Century CECondition & Provenance：Both conical bowls remain fully intact without cracks, chips or restorations. The brown‑glazed rim is well‑preserved. Interior ink paintings survive in good condition with only natural age‑related wear and faint soil patina. Exposed base foot shows authentic ancient clay weathering with no modern polishing or overpainting. Formerly part of a Hong‑Kong‑based private collection specializing in pre‑Yuan porcelain, later acquired by a private antique ceramic collector in Chicago, Illinois, USA in 2024, accompanied by complete provenance documentation.Description：This matching pair of ink‑painted conical bowls represents classic functional and decorative wares from northern China’s Cizhou folk kilns, showcasing spontaneous folk artistic taste of the Song Dynasty. Both vessels adopt the iconic conical form: wide flared mouth, sloping sides tapering down to a small ring foot, finished with a dark brown glazed band along the rim for protection. One bowl interior depicts swimming fish amid lotus pond scenery. Fish glide elegantly among lotus blooms and water weeds, rendered with free, energetic brushstrokes for ripples and aquatic plants. The second bowl is painted with full‑bloom lotus, seed pods, leaves and duckweed, balanced in composition, carrying the traditional auspicious meaning of surplus and prosperity year after year. The exterior white slip surface is decorated with continuous swirling scrollwork in black ink with casual, unrestrained lines. Vessels were coated with white slip before direct ink painting over the slip surface. The hand‑painted decoration is freely executed without rigid formalism, embodying the unpretentious aesthetic of ancient folk craftsmen. The unglazed ring foot reveals coarse dry pottery clay bearing genuine kiln‑age earth stains. Surviving matched pairs of Song Cizhou painted conical bowls are quite uncommon in the antique marketplace. The two pieces feature complementary lotus‑themed motifs, handed down as an original set. They fully document Cizhou kiln painting techniques, serving as key reference artifacts for academic study of northern folk ceramic art and Song‑dynasty auspicious folk iconography, widely sought‑after among overseas ancient porcelain collectors with solid research value and long‑term appreciation potential.

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