University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong

University Museum and Art Gallery
The University of Hong Kong
90 Bonham Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

Water pot in blue and white glaze, Tang Dynasty (618 – 907), W: 9 cm, H: 7.5 cm

By Courtesy of University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong

(Click on the photo to enlarge!)

An early Chinese underglaze-blue painted waterpot
The underglaze-blue painted waterpot in the Museum’s collection is a rare example of early blue-and-white pottery. The vessel’s hard grey-white body is sparely decorated with horizontal blue dashes and dots beneath a crackled transparent glaze. The shape of the pot, with a concave body, short neck and three feet, resembles that of typical Tang period (618–907) tripod vessels, and suggests its use as a scholar’s object. Although otherwise simple in form, the three feet have been moulded into the form of animal claws.