Bowl with Wave Design, 12th or 13th century

Graceful shapes, rich greenish glazes, and distinctively carved designs are salient features of the restrained jade colored wares known as “northern celadon.” The name alludes to its development in the northern provinces of Shaanxi and Henan during the Northern Song period (960–1127). This elegantly shaped bowl has thin walls and a flared lip; its pale glaze has a jadelike quality much admired by connoisseurs. The exterior of the bowl is carved with a pattern of irregular vertical grooves, while a combed and incised field of abstract foliate scrolls decorates the interior. In the bottom of the bowl, the glaze has the transparency of glass, reaffirming the high quality of the object.