China, Yuan dynasty (1279–1368)
Longquan type stoneware with celadon glaze, 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm) high
Hobart and Edward Small Moore Memorial Collection, Gift of Mrs. William H. Moore
1955.4.64
The complex of kilns near Longquan in southern Zhejiang Province had started production during the tenth century, but it was only after the retreat of the Song court to Hangzhou in the twelfth century that Longquan became a major center of ceramic production. The Longquan wares were distinguished by their thick translucent glaze, by their green jadelike color and texture, and by their fine, light gray body. The kilns achieved a height of production for both the domestic and the export markets during the thirteenth century. After the Mongol conquest of China and the establishment of Yuan rule, the kilns continued to produce ceramics, particularly large plates and vases for export. There was a taste for more elaborate decoration, and the potters met that demand by using mold-impressed motifs applied to the surface, as seen in the floral scroll of this vase.
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