Deep bowl, Jun ware 1197 - 1303

Editor: Here we have a Jun ware deep bowl, dating from the late Song to early Yuan dynasty. The softly crackled blue glaze and two splashes of copper create such a serene feeling. I wonder, what initially strikes you when you look at this piece? Curator: Ah, serenity indeed. I'm transported. The glaze reminds me of a twilight sky just after the sun has dipped below the horizon, doesn’t it? Those copper splashes – kisses of sunset! It’s such a beautifully flawed object, too. Can you see how the glaze doesn't quite reach the bottom and the subtle irregularities of the rim? I think it makes it profoundly human. What stories could this bowl tell if it could talk, Editor? Editor: It’s intriguing to imagine. I hadn’t really considered its… humanity. But, what’s so special about Jun ware, generally? Why is it displayed in museums? Curator: Jun ware isn’t just pottery; it's alchemy frozen in time. The potters were attempting to coax the kiln into revealing these stunning colours – relying on unpredictable changes in the kiln atmosphere. Their intentions are immortalized in a kind of ritual of firing the ware to reach such subtle visual and physical nuances. Do you notice how the glaze pools and thins in places? Each bowl, therefore, is completely unique, a testament to nature and human skill intertwining. Editor: It almost seems accidental, then. So the beauty lies partly in the risk and the lack of control? Curator: Precisely! The kiln gods decide. Perhaps that's the enduring lesson this bowl offers - that imperfection is infinitely more interesting than perfection, which is pretty consoling, if you ask me. Editor: Definitely something to ponder. Thanks for helping me look at this with fresh eyes.