ANTIQUITES MOBILIER ET OBJETS D'ART

LARGE GREEN CELADON CHINESE PORCELAIN VASE

PERIOD : Chinese porcelain, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), 16th century

DIMENSIONS : height 27 in width 13 ¾ in

DESCRIPTION :

Beautiful green celadon glazed vase adorned with finely incised scrolling leaves and flowers. The difference in the thickness creates variations in the color and in the transparency of the glaze.

THE CELADONS :

Celadon refers to monochrome ceramics decorated with a pale green glaze meant to mimic jade. This technique finds its origin in China and had its height during the Song dynasty (960-1279).
Are commonly known as celadons, stoneware or porcelain pieces covered with an iron oxide coloured glaze and fired in an atmosphere poor in oxygen. Celadon glazes can be produced in a variety of colors, including yellow greens, olive greens or sea greens, depending on the quantity of iron oxide and the thickness of the glaze.

The main categories of celadons correspond to pieces produced on different kiln sites : Yaozhou (Shaanxi Province), Ru (Henan), Longquan and Yue (Jiangsu Province). Longquan celadons were exported during the 16th, 17th, 18th centuries to Europe and then mounted in ormolu bronze.

The term "celadon" for the pottery's pale jade-green glaze was coined by European connoisseurs of the wares. The name first appeared in France in the 17th century and is named after the shepherd Celadon in Honoré d'Urfé's French pastoral romance, L'Astrée (1627), who wore pale green ribbons.
If Chinese blue and white wares were favourite during the 17th century, in the 18th century taste changed for the benefit of celadon wares and other monochrome porcelains which were enhanced with ormolu mounts by merchant-mercers.

BIBLIOGRAPHY :

- P. Kjellberg, Objets montés, du Moyen-Âge à nos jours, Les Éditions de l’amateur, Paris, 2000.
- Porcelaine de Chine, C.P.I.P. éditeur, 1975.