ED097 A Ge ware green celadon tripod censer with vertical ribs Song-Yuan 龍泉窯

Description

Dimension:
13.2cm Diameter 9.5cm Height
Description:
Ge ware was a derivation from Guan ware of Southern Song made popular by the Zhang brothers in Southern Song and Yuan in Longquan County where color green was most prized followed by grey. The characteristics of Ge ware are described as “purple mouth and iron foot” with crackles lines in the glaze which the dark “purple” is more pronounced at the 3 protruded vertical ribs.
The compressed globular body with straight neck that rises to a slightly flaring flat mouth is supported with three cabriole legs with each has a vertical relief rib mentioned earlier. Each leg has a rather large hole for releasing of built up pressure during firing and the unglazed part of the foot shows dark brown. This shape is a derivation from the archaic bronze centers supported with three legs.
The glaze is grayish green with resembling mung bean color with even dark brown crackles lines covers the overall piece except the foot. The mouth rim is darkened with finer crackle lines while the rest of the body has larger spaced crackles. The dark body is often referred as “zijin” clay with higher iron oxide composition to produce a crackled ware of deep character. The elder Zhang brother was known to have his wares produced in the major kiln or Dayao to produce high end and expansive pieces according to various Chinese annals. Based on the piece’s characteristics, there is a high probability for this piece to be made in a major kiln.
Provenance: This piece was previously acquired from East Java.