Crimson Porcelain Bowl

The red-glazed bowl has a flared-mouth, a swelling body and a foot ring. On the greenish-white glazed foot ring is printed a seal in blue-and-white with the date of manufacture written in regular script that translates, “Made in Xuande period of Ming dynasty”. The seal is enclosed with blue-and-white double borders.

Red glazed ware technique flourished during Xuande reign in the Ming dynasty. Compared with red-glazed porcelain ware in Yongle period (1403-1424), those produced during the Xuande period enjoyed a significant increase in total number and have greater variety in glazes, such as ruby red, sacrificial red, sky-clearing red, and sang-de-bœuf. The red glaze in the Xuande period is rich and striking with a slight exposure of white on the edge which is pleasure to observe. Besides bowls, plates and high-footed bowls, more shapes were commonly seen, such as washers, incense burners, prunus vases, monk’s cap jugs, sauce-pots and pear-shaped pots. The porcelain ware is ornamented with incised designs and golden tracery. The rim of the mouth is left white, which is popularly called “Juncus effusus mouth”. Fired on its foot, the red-glazed bowl is darker bluish green where the glaze masses and bubbles are most dense at the thickest part. Typical features of Xuande red glaze are rich color, no signs of flow or of the glaze peeling off. After the Xuande period, the red glaze ware declined. It was not rejuvenated until the Kangxi reign (1662-1722) of the Qing dynasty.