Conical Bowl with Interior of Fish Swimming amid Waves Encircling a Sea Crab and Exterior of Stylized Petals
Jin dynasty (1115–1234), 12th century
- Medium
- Yaozhou ware; stoneware with underglaze molded and carved decoration
- Classification
- Vessel
- Dimensions
- 4.1 × 9.6 cm (1 5/8 × 3 13/16 in.); Diam.: 9.6 cm (3 13/16 in.)
- Culture
- China
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago, Arts of Asia
- Credit line
- Gift of Dorothy Braude Edinburg to the Harry B. and Bessie K. Braude Memorial Collection
- Rights
- Public domain (CC0), as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed
View at the Art Institute of Chicago
About this work
Potters from Yaozhou used a carved mold to decorate the interior of this bowl, making the process of production more efficient. Remarkably, this accelerated approach to decoration did not compromise the beauty of the final product. Inside the bowl, four fishes gracefully encircle a sea creature — either a crab or a squid — amidst the rippling waves. The surface of the bowl is fully covered in a glossy, translucent olive-green glaze. The glaze pools in the recesses, producing a slightly deeper hue that enhances the dynamism and vividness of the motifs. When filled with water or tea, the bowl brings the marine animals to life by creating an illusion of them swimming within the liquid.
Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0
