Busacca Gallery

Description:

A Fabulous, rare and unusual piece! Very heavy shallow Sung Celadon glaze bowl. 10 ¾ inches in diameter, with elaborate engraved designs under the glaze all around. A center lotus flower partially covered with heavy glaze on one side. The scalloped thick rim is beautifully finished on both sides. In perfect condition save a birthmark in the middle which must have taken place during the firing in the kiln. The back is partially unglazed.

Reference:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celadon

Celadon glaze refers to a family of transparent glazes, many with pronounced (and sometimes accentuated) cracks in the glaze produced in a wide variety of colors, generally used on porcelain or stoneware clay bodies. Celadon glazes have such popularity and impact that pieces made with it are often referred to as "celadons."



Celadon glazes can be produced in a variety of colors, including white, grey, blue and yellow, depending on several factors: 1) the thickness of the applied glaze, 2) the type of clay to which it is applied, and 3) the exact makeup of the glaze. However, the most famous shades range in color from a very pale green to deep intense green, often meaning to mimic the green shades of jade. The color is produced by iron oxide in the glaze recipe or clay body. Celadon are almost exclusively fired in a reducing atmosphere kiln as the chemical changes in the iron oxide which accompany depriving it of free oxygen are what produce the desired colors. As with most glazes, crazing (a glaze defect) can occur in the glaze and, if the characteristic is desirable, is referred to as "crackle" glaze.



The Longquan kiln sites in China were especially well-known internationally. Large quantities of Longquan celadon was exported throughout East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East in 13th-15th century. Large celadon dishes were especially welcomed in Islamic nations.