GEC1C20 Chinese Art and Design

(Dr. Silvia Fok)

Exhibition Review

Chinese Ceramics and Seals donated by the K.S. Lo Foundation

Word count: 1119

Dante Narayana Putra Suyono

18079336D

Date: 3rd of March 2019

Chinese Ceramics and Seals by the K.S. Lo Foundation

This is a permanent art exhibition where the K.S. Lo Foundation show all of the
most valuable collection. The first floor is mainly an exhibition for tea sets, and tea
making. While the rest is a showcase for their most valuable ceramics and seals.

Washer, Ru ware (Southern Song, 12th Century A.D)

This ware is one of the most prized artwork currently

possessed in the collection, with only 70 surviving works exist
today. The Washer ware had a combination of greenish and
bluish color, and the shape of the ware is very simple, with no
unique design that usually become a stereotype for Chinese
artwork.

This ware is said to have a poem composed by the Qianlong

Emperor in the Jihai year (1779) incised into the glaze of the
base. Unfortunately, the inscription was removed due to the
fear of criminal charge of possessing a piece of Qing Imperial
Collection. It can be seen from the picture that no trace of the poem remained on the
Ru ware.

It is also said that this ware was stolen from the Imperial Collection, and were sold in the
black market. Hence, it can be said that the inscription was removed to hide the fact
that the was a stolen, and an illegal artifact to
possessed by civilians.

The dish on the right (Fig 1) is another Ru Ware currently in

the possession of Taiwan’s National Palace Museum.
The ware has a different shape, but still have the same
color with the one showed in Hong Kong Exhibition,
with the only difference is that, the inscription of the
poem was not removed in this Ware.
Bowl with Carved Lotus decoration in Ivory White Glaze, Ding Ware (Mid Northern Song,
Song Dynasty, 11t century A.D)

The type of ware that were very popular in Northern China

during the reign of Song Dynasty (960-1279 A.D). Due
to its popularity, the Ding ware were produced in mass
numbers, until the ending of Song Dynasty, and slowly
eclipsed by the Qingbai ware from Southern China.

One of the most striking feature of Ding ware, are their

white grayish glaze coloring, and the carved designs.
From the picture, another unique feature of the ware
could be identified, which is the thin porcelain of the
ware. This piece are the most common type of Ding
Ware that can be found.

The pattern in this piece is Lotus, which is very popular in Chinese culture. Lotus
represents divinity and purity, and often associated with the Buddha (Mack, 2019).

On the right (Fig 2) is a picture of a very rare

dark-glazed Ding Ware currently in the
collection of Taipei’s National Palace Museum.
This extraordinarily rare ceramic are even rarer
than the Imperial Ru ware. The only difference
it has with the common white Ding ware is on
the decoration.

Black-glazed Ding ware typically feature ‘partridge-feather’ mottles that is abstract,

rather than pictorial designs of the white Ding ware (Mowry and Dworsky, 2018).
Flask painted in underglaze blue with dragons (Ming Dynasty, Yongle period, 1403-1424
A.D)

This is a flask vase, in which the shape and the size of the
vase in the picture originated from the Yongle period, when
the reign mark of Imperial use was confined to few special
types. One of type is just like the picture on the right.

The cobalt blue on the dragon design of the flask displays

the characteristic of underglaze blue wares on the first
decades of 15th century. The color blue has such great
depth and intensity, which resulted in the concentration of
pigment. The pigment, which commonly is very thick,
broke the moment it touched the glaze, resulting in slightly
blackish coloring on the vase.

The central decoration of this is flask is the Dragon, which occupy most of the vase. In
Chinese culture, dragon was and is regarded as just and benevolent creature, and
associated with authority. Every Emperor of China would often authorized the use of
dragon symbol to show their power and authority (Cartwright, 2017).

The picture on the right (Fig 3) is a flask vase from the

Ming dynasty which currently in the permanent possession
of British Art Museum. The vase still used the under-glazed
blue which commonly used during the reign of Ming
dynasty. The Lotus flower was used on the vase, which
represent feminine beauty, and purity because it rise from
the mud (Christies, 2018).

These kind of vases reflected a courtly interest in other

cultures and connections to an international network. It is often used in diplomacy as a
sign of friendship and truce. (British Museum, 2018)
Dish painted in underglaze blue with the Three Friends of Winter (Ming Dynasty,
Xuande period, 1426-1435)

This a porcelain dish during the reign of Ming dynasty

in underglaze blue. According to the guide, due to its
popularity, these type of porcelain were produced in
such number that it is common to find one. The
ceramics can also be found in many parts of Asia, and
even Europe due to trade.

The pattern in this dish is the Three Friends of Winter

represented by Pine, Bamboo, and Plum. These three
plants together embody steadfastness, perseverance,
and resilience to survive in the harshness of winter
(Princeton University Art Museum, 2017)

The picture on the right (Fig 4) is one of the porcelain

dish currently in possession of Reev Collection at
Washington and Lee University, a generous gift from
Joyce P. Bishop in honor of his daughter. On this dish,
all of the decorations share and represent one meaning,
which is long life.

The cranes, in Chinese culture, represent longevity and

good fortune. The deer are searching for linghzi, a
mushroom that can make the consumer immortal. As
the deer consumed the lingzhi as well, they also represent longevity. The Pine tree behind
the deer also represent longevity.
Conclusion

All of these ceramics even though they are all different from one another, they still share
some similarities such as their shape, color, decorations, and their purposes. These
common traits are what make the Chinese ceramics and arts unique, and different
compare to the ceramics from other countries.

Ru Ware
Medium: Stone, clay
Creator: Unknown
Poem: Qianlong Emperor
Period: 1736-1795
Diameter: -
http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2016/10/17/34450157.html
Dark-glazed Ding Ware
Medium: Stone, clay
Creator: Unknown
Period: Song-Jin Dynasty (960-1279 A.D)
Dimension: 20.3 cm diameter

http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2018/02/26/36177317.html

Large porcelain flask painted with underglaze blue decoration

Medium: Clay
Creator: Unknown
Period: Ming Dynasty, 1426-1435

https://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/tours_and_loans/uk_loans
_and_tours/archive_tours/made_in_china.aspx
 Ming dynasty blue and white porcelain plate
Medium: Clay
Creator: unknown
Period: Wanli Period, 1573-169
Diameter: 7.75 inch diameter

http://wonder-cabinet.sites.gettysburg.edu/2017/cabinet/ming-blue-
and-white-plate/

Exhibition Information:

Name of the exhibition: Chinese Ceramics and Seals donated by K.S. Lo Foundation

Location: 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Reference list

The British Museum, (2018), Made in China: an imperial Ming vase

Available:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/tours_and_loans/uk_loans_and_tours/archive_tours/
made_in_china.aspx

Cartwright, M. (2017), The Dragon in Ancient China. Ancient History Encyclopedia

Available: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ancient.eu/amp/2-1125/

Mack, L. (2019), Importance of the Lotus Flower in Chinese Culture.

Available: https://www.thoughtco.com/chinese-flower-lotus-687523

Mowry, D. & Dworsky, J. (2018), A highly important Ding russet-splashed black-glazed

canonical bowl, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127).

Available: http://www.alaintruong.com/archives/2018/02/26/36177317.html
 Princeton University Art Museum, 2017. Three friends: Pine, Bamboo, and Plum.

Available: https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/object-package/three-friends-pine-bamboo-and-
plum/43777