Ding ware
(China)
Dish
- Other titles:
- Ding ware dish with design of lotus
- Location
- Lower Asian gallery
- Further information
The first of the classic wares to receive the patronage of the Northern Song court, Ding ware is distinguished by its thin white body, its warm, ivory-coloured glaze and the fluent beauty of its carved and incised decoration. The glaze has a tendency to pool in drops that Chinese poets have eloquently described as 'tear drops'. The Ding kilns are credited with several innovations in ceramic technology, including the method of firing upside-down (called 'fushao'), which stopped the thinly potted, larger dishes from warping but also necessitated the application of a copper band to the unglazed rim. So subtle is the design on Ding ware that photographs still cannot do justice to the fluent beauty of its carved designs and the sensuous tactility of its glaze.
'Ding ware', The Asian Collections, AGNSW, 2003, pg.104.
- Place of origin
-
Hebei Province,
China
- Period
- China: Song dynasty 960–1279, Northern Song 960–1127
- Year
- early 12th century
- Media
- Ceramic
- Medium
- porcelain with underglaze carved design, rim bound with copper
- Dimensions
- 4.3 x 19.7cm
- Signature & date
- Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Bequest of Kenneth Myer 1993
- Accession number
- 581.1993
