Contrary to common perceptions not all Chinese celadons are the same color, they are often not even green at all and yet they are called Celadon. Chinese glazes have so many variant shades of this color it nearly defies description.  

Song Dynasty Qingbai Celadon Bowl

 They can be nearly black and they can be for all intent and purpose done in tones of blue and still be technically called celadons. This was most common in the colors of the pieces made during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan period (1279-1368).  It was during these eras that many scholars and collectors feel had the most variations in the spectrum of color and  and range of glazes. During the Song Yuan dynasties most of these wares were made in Jingdezhen and it is believed this was the starting point for their manufacture.  This was truly a fascinating era of innovation, glaze and potting experimentation. The era’s influence over Chinese Art has lasted for centuries.

This early period was held in such high esteem by the Chinese that during the  Qianlong Emperor’s (1736-1795) rule a revival took place attempting to replicate the ceramics made during this fabled time. Interestingly other items were also reproduced including Jades, paintings and lacquers.  The quality of these revival examples were and still are astounding.

Interior Drawing Qingbai Bowl, Song Dynasty

The bowl shown here was made during the Song Dynasty and while it appears bluish in tone, it is actually classified as a type of celadon. The exterior design is often described as a “Tear Drop” or “Flower Petal” pattern. 

Qingbai Tear Drop Pattern, Song Dynasty

The interior is hand decorated with a charmingly done loosely executed flower, the foot is unglazed-nearly flat and the bowl’s rim has a dry brown dressing.

Qingbai Bowl Rim Dressing, Song Dynasty

These bowls were made in one variety or another in both the Southern and Northern Song (960-1279). Some are slightly whiter and others are much bluer leaning to green.  The glaze on this example and many others is very thin and to the eye free of bubbles.  This is not always the case however as areas of suffused bubbles can be found where it has pooled as in the example of the foot rim of this cup which originally had a stand under it.  In this example the viewer can see the dry rim resulting from the removal of glaze before firing.

Fine Qingbai Glazed Cup, Song Dynasty

Qingbai Foot, Song

The glaze is clear and pure which pools and fills the carved areas making it appear much darker and highlights the design. For the period of it’s manufacture, the paste used to make these bowls were very well levigated and most examples today a free of impurities being revealed after the firing.

Qingbai Foot Rim, Song Dynasty

Other examples exist with glaze free rims, on these the glaze has been wiped clean prior to firing to facilitate stacking of the bowl in the kilns. This style of bowls feature a variety of decorations predominated by varieties of flowers, boys in vines and on some examples fish are shown. The interior decorations to these bowls are a study unto themselves. Some are made in molds leaving a distinct raised relief patterns inside and out which tend to be rather complex and on other examples the decoration is a loosely or quickly drawn pattern.  The bluer toned examples, in my humble experience, are more likely to be drawn rather than press molded.

During the Song Dynasty pieces were made in a bewildering variety of forms from stem cups to exotic animals. Some were in the form of buildings and in this example is a rather rare example of a barge or boat.

Qingbai Boat, Song to Yuan Dynasty

Later into the Yuan period larger Qingbai examples  were made including figures and statues.

 Among the most popular bottle or vase forms of this era and  continued to be made for centuries was the Meiping vase form. Characterized by a gently upward expanding body that curves inward gently on a broad shoulder ending to form a tightly formed smallish neck and mouth.

Molded and Carved Meiping, Song Dynasty

The decortion on these can vary widely from busy high relief decoration to very delicate low relief drawing. This image is a molded and carved example.

NOTE: A good book on this topic is “Qinbai Ware: Chinese Porcelain of the Song and Yuan Dynasties”, By Rosemary Scott, Amy Barnes, Estelle Nikles and Catherine Teo. Edited by Stacey Pierson. It was published by the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, 2002 ISBN: 0 7286 0339X

Despite the current slide in world investment markets the strong support for high end Asian works of art and fine Asian antiques in general is still at an all time high.  Every time an auction is held at Sotherby’s, Christies’, Bonhams or Doyles sellers and buyers wait to see how the major pieces do. All eyes watch the Imperial jades, porcelains, bronzes

Zhou Bronze, Freer Collection

 and scrolls often followed by stunned expressions and dropped jaws and of course broad smiles.

One category while not going under the radar is I think perhaps one of the most undervalued. This rather overlooked area is that of fine Chinese celadons from the Song dynasty right through the Qing Imperial wares.  Celadon glazes are subtle and exude a quiet elegance of color, light and offer a unique type of tactile resonance to people who admire and are attracted to them.

In a word, as much as any other type of porcelain celadons speak a language of their own.  For many they are soothing with a thick, clear, soft glowing subtle green and to others they display a strength of singular power and  individuality.  The range of color to be found in these green glazes seem, after seeing the many varieties,  to have more shades than all other colors combined.

Celadons are on occasion additionally decorated  with under glaze blue, or may have a dry brown dressing over unglazed areas as seen in this example from the Freer Sackler Gallery.

Yuan Celadon Vase, Freer Sackler Col.

 More recent examples made from the mid 18th C.  onwards may be enhanced with a famille rose over glaze enamel; the subtle clarity of plain examples with modest incised patterns seem to me superior. An example we have now in inventory is an ovoid jar  and is inlaid with a white paste and filled in with cobalt under glaze blue.  we acquired this for inventory as it seemed quite unique and has interesting pattern which seems to be in the Japanese market taste. A particular form of Chinese celadon seems to be very much favored by Japanese collectors for it’s color and shape. These three legged incense burners are often of a particularly good color, a fine soft green known as Kinuta Green. This shade of color seems to have first evolved in the 12 th C. to 13 th C.  In the next few weeks we’ll add additional images and information on these porcelains, they’ll later be archived in the site’s Articles section as well.

Song Incense Burner, Freer Sackler Gallery