6. ‘Sky-blue’ glazed stoneware bowl
Northern Song dynasty, 11th - 12th century
Jun kilns, Henan province
Diameter: 17.7cm
This bowl represents the epitome of Jun ware with its classic shape and thick opalescent ‘sky-blue’ glaze. Its subtle, luminous blue glaze is not created by pigments but is in fact an optical effect. During firing the Jun glaze separates into light-scattering droplets of glass. When light passes through the ‘glass emulsion’, there is a scattering effect during which the blue spectrum of light is reflected, providing the bluish hue to the ware.
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View Chinese ceramics, lacquer and gold from the 12th to the 14th century