Covered jar with design of floral sprays and calligraphy

Cizhou Wares of the Song and Jin Dynasties

Cizhou wares, such as the jars and pillows in this case, feature glazes with a contrast of dark and light colors. A variety of decorative techniques was employed, including painting, incising, carving, and molding. The method of painting black decoration on a white ground originated at the kilns in Hebei and spread throughout central China. From the 1100s on, variations in shape and motif were indicative of local fashions and potters’ personalities. Decorative motifs include animals, plants, landscapes, human figures, legends, and depictions of games. As shown in this case, dark colors and the simplicity of the brown decoration in dappled, striped, or floral patterns are representative of vessels made in the northern regions.