Tea bowl(Tortoise shell/Ran tenmoku) , Black glazed stoneware

Collection NumberA003149
TitleTea bowl(Tortoise shell/Ran tenmoku) , Black glazed stoneware
DateSouthern Song dynasty, 12th-13th century
Artist, Kiln, Workshop吉州窯 Jizhou ware
Name of prefectures & citiesChina
Description of works【Are phoenixes flying in the bowl?】
The Jizhou Kilns in China’s Jiangnan region were one of the prominent producers of temmoku tea bowls, along with the Jian Kilns in the same region. The interior bears a design of birds with long tails which are presumably ran (Chinese mythical bird, Chinese: luan) or ho-o (phoenixes, Chinese: feng huang), and small flowers. This bowl was first coated with black glaze, on which another coat of glaze in a different color was applied through a stencil sheet with the contour of the birds, to achieve the phoenix design. The bowl’s mouth has a silver fukurin (decorative rim).

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