Storage Jar, 11th-13th century, Minneapolis Institute of Art: Chinese, South and Southeast Asian Art
brown dripped glaze over tan vessel; drum-shaped; six small handles and ring of petals at top below lip; incised scrolling chrysanthemum designs and stamped circles, and circle and almond-shaped flower forms
Large covered jars such as this have been found in tombs where they probably functioned as storage jars for food for the afterlife. Vietnamese potters developed a unique technique for decorating these types of jars. After a cream-colored ash glaze was applied to the body and allowed to dry, a design was engraved into it. The carved areas were then painted with an iron-oxide glaze, the dark brown of which was neatly contained within the incised lines. A frieze of lotus petals in high relief often decorated the shoulders of these vessels. The lotus is an iconic Buddhist symbol for spiritual purity. A great deal of Buddhist imagery appear on Ly and Tran dynasty ceramics made for use on domestic altars, monasteries, and pagodas as well as tombs.
Size: 14 ½ x 10 3/16 x 10 3/16 in. (36.83 x 25.88 x 25.88 cm)
Medium: Stoneware
Spencer Witcraft 