Lidded Jar with sprig design c. early 20th century

This lidded jar with sprig design was made anonymously, with clay and glaze, at an unknown date. Imagine the potter at the wheel, coaxing this generous form into being. You know, it looks like porcelain, but maybe stoneware? I love the way the glaze shimmers. It reminds me of milk. The brushstrokes of cobalt blue that decorate the surface are spare and gestural, evoking a sense of nature, perhaps a sprig of bamboo caught in a breeze. You can see a real economy of means. The artist knew exactly where to place those strokes, allowing the form to breathe, to speak for itself. It makes me wonder what else this artist made and what other potters they learned from. Each object like this is part of a long, ongoing conversation between artists across time, each one influencing and inspiring the next. It's like we're all just talking to each other through our work, trying to figure things out as we go.