932 - An old bowl in the Song Junyáo style

An old bowl in the Song Junyáo style China, probably 18th century or earlier. Ceramic, glazed. H. 8 cm; d. of the mouth 18 cm. Swirl-shaped base mark. Condition: Signs of age and use; chip at the muzzle (restored, approx. 4 × 1.5 cm). A thin layer of glaze and body material is missing at the mouth, presumably from the manufacturing process. Slight signs of use on the foot rim. Junyáo, one of the great ceramic traditions of the Song dynasty, is known for its thick, opalescent blue-lavender glazes and natural purple speckles. After the Song period, production continued but evolved: Yuan dynasty potters created heavier forms with stronger, more dramatic glazes; the Ming dynasty revived Jun ware in the imperial kilns, producing numbered, tightly controlled 'official Jun' pieces; and the Qing dynasty reinterpreted the style with greater technical precision and brighter colors. Despite these later developments, Jun ware remained closely linked to its origins in the Song dynasty, although each era adapted the aesthetic to new tastes and technologies.