Teapot in the Shape of a Plum Blossom 1600 - 1633

Curator: So charming. Just look at this ceramic teapot, shaped like a plum blossom. Editor: It's so earthy, almost rustic, isn’t it? But also very refined, a wonderful juxtaposition. I can practically smell the tea brewing. Curator: The piece dates from between 1600 and 1633, created by the artisan Shi Dabin. What is so compelling is the use of clay. Editor: Absolutely. It's humble material elevated to this beautifully organic form. You can sense the hand of the artist; a human connection you just don't find everywhere. It must have taken hours to build. Curator: Well, the labour and skill here speak to the broader craft tradition of Yixing ware in China, a regional style famous for its unglazed stoneware, also called zisha. Tea ware like this highlights tea culture and social life. Editor: Right! It's also about rituals. Think of all the hands that must have held it, all the conversations, quiet moments. And just to pause to truly savour and appreciate, you know? It's more than the utility, I love that feeling! Curator: Considering its history, the means of production – the materials and labour involved, even its distribution across time – this object presents us a history we can still taste, literally, in our contemporary moment. Editor: In that sense, it almost seems timeless, doesn't it? A dialogue between past and present, whispered through a humble, beautiful teapot. I'm utterly charmed.