Small Jar with Three Loop Handles and Ascending Lotus-Petal Decor
late 10th-11th century
Description
The walls of this small, ovoid jar rise at a steep angle from the circular footring, expanding to the widest point at the shoulder, where they angle inward to form the virtually flat shoulder; a short, circular neck echoes the short, vertical footring. Three equally spaced, loop rings enliven the shoulder, overlapping shoulder and neck. The body of the jar is decorated with carved lotus petals that rise from the top of the footring to the angle where the shoulder turns inward; the jar's shoulder is embellished with carved lotus petals that descend from the base of the neck to the angle where the shoulder turns inward. The rising lotus petals on the jar's body are large and somewhat attenuated; the descending lotus petals on the shoulder are short and somewhat stubby. In both instances, the lotus petals are arranged in two rows, an outer and an inner row; the petals in the outer row mostly conceal those in the inner row. The neck and footring are undecorated. A pale, olive-hued, celadon glaze coats the exterior of the vessel, except for the flat base and the bottom and inside of the footring, which are unglazed. The decoration is exceptionally well carved.
Dimensions
H. 10.1 x Diam. 8.8 cm (4 x 3 7/16 in.)
Provenance
Edmund Lin (1928-2006; Professor, Harvard Medical School), Boston; by bequest to the Harvard Art Museum
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