Deep bowl, Jun ware 1200 - 1400

This deep bowl of Jun ware was made by an anonymous Chinese artist. The precise dating of Jun ware remains an open question, but it was likely produced sometime between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries. Jun ware is celebrated for its thick, opalescent glaze, which ranges in color from a sky blue to a lavender. This seemingly simple bowl invites us to consider the complex social and economic structures that enabled its creation. Who were the potters who labored to produce these wares? How did their work intersect with systems of trade and patronage? And what did it mean to use such an object in the context of daily life? Consider the intimate act of holding a bowl like this in your hands; an action that connects you to the touch of the artisan. In its quiet way, this bowl embodies a history of human labor, exchange, and aesthetic appreciation.