Cizhou‑Yao Large Jar With Sgraffito Peony Scroll On Black‑White Ground,Jin Dynasty,12th‑13th Century

拍品描述

Dimensions:Height 38 cm (14.96 in),Rim Diameter 16 cm (6.30 in),Jin Dynasty,12th‑13th CenturyCondition & Provenance:This jar is solid and structurally sound,there are no penetrating cracks and no modern restoration work.The rolled outer rim shows authentic wear built up over centuries of handling,you can spot tiny natural glaze flaking along parts of the rim,just normal age‑related condition.Every inch of exterior glaze carries fine web‑like crazing developed over hundreds of years,old patina settled inside those fine cracks,nothing artificially made later.The incised bow‑string lines around shoulder are fully preserved,all carved peony leaves and flowers keep crisp sharp outlines,a couple leaf tips have tiny superficial nicks that never go down to the clay body.Inside the jar is fully covered with black slip glaze,you can see natural glaze flow marks from original firing.The base exposes coarse sandy clay,the body clay looks dry and aged.The bottom holds multi‑toned soil encrustation,iron rust stains and mineral deposits left from ancient burial,you also see kiln sand sticking along base edge,all original factory marks,no base grinding or alteration.This piece comes from a serious private collector based in Florida,USA,he spent decades focusing on early northern Chinese ceramics.He bought this jar in‑person directly from a well‑established Hong Kong antique gallery back in 1991.It stayed indoors under proper family preservation for more than thirty years,never displayed outdoors,no modern cleaning,no grinding,no glaze touch‑up.It hits the North American antique market only recently because the collector is downsizing his personal collection.Description:This huge sgraffito jar from Jin‑era Cizhou kiln is a remarkable heavy‑duty display piece among medieval northern Chinese ceramics.It delivers such powerful bold presence.Rim rolls outward nice and thick,neck is thick and sturdy,moves smoothly into a big rounded bulbous belly,then tapers gently down to a wide flat base,the whole silhouette feels strong and free,typical northern folk ceramic spirit.Several simple parallel incised lines circle the neck to frame the main decoration.On main belly surface it uses Cizhou’s signature sgraffito technique:artists laid down black slip background,then carved and scraped away black slip to reveal bright white under‑slip for scrolling peony patterns.The peony scroll wraps fully around the jar,blossoms are large and open,petals layered,foliage thick and lush.After cutting outer shapes,the carver used thin sharp tools to draw fine veins on every petal and leaf,lines flow naturally without stiffness.The sharp contrast between black background and white floral design gives you super strong visual impact.A soft creamy off‑white glaze covers outside surface,glaze layer is thick and smooth,crazing spread all over from natural aging.Interior is fully glazed black with uneven glaze flow,that is exactly how big northern kiln jars came out of the kiln.Base clay is coarse sandy texture,grey‑brown color,soil erosion and iron discoloration are from its long underground resting period.Cizhou was the most important folk kiln complex in ancient northern China.Sgraffito peony motifs were super popular during Jin period,peony symbolizes wealth and prosperity.Large intact jars like this one are really hard to find,most comparable examples are held in museums.This specimen has great size,well‑preserved decoration and original condition.It works fantastically as home decor statement piece,as well as a top‑tier addition for your early Chinese ceramic collection.

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