Meiping Vase
Stoneware with black glaze, sgraffito decoration of peony scrollCizhou ware
Northern Song dynasty,11th-12th century
Height: 30.9cm, diameter: 20.2cm
The peony scroll decoration was made using the sgraffito technique, in which the body was first covered with black glaze onto which the motif was incised, and the glaze surrounding the motif was scratched off. The exposed background was then filled with white slip, making the peony motif stand out clearly. It demonstrates the meticulous execution by the potter. The beautiful black-and-white contrast like this piece is one of the characteristics of Cizhou ware, the kilns of which were centered in Guantaizhen, Ci County, Hebei Province.