Each vase is finely potted with a baluster body rising to a waisted neck and flared rim, flanked by a pair of strap handles joining the shoulder to the upper neck. The body is modelled with four raised spiralling sections. The surfaces are finished in a lustrous grey-black slip, achieved through a reduction firing technique characteristic of Han blackware.
A pair of black pottery handled vases (Han dynasty, 206 BC – AD 220)
Description
Dimensions: 22cm high
Provenance:
Ben Janssens Oriental Art, London
Each vase is finely potted with a baluster body rising to a waisted neck and flared rim, flanked by a pair of strap handles joining the shoulder to the upper neck. The body is modelled with four raised spiralling sections. The surfaces are finished in a lustrous grey-black slip, achieved through a reduction firing technique characteristic of Han blackware.
Black pottery vessels of this type were often placed in tombs, reflecting both utilitarian and ritual purposes. Comparable examples can be found in the collections of the British Museum and the Shanghai Museum.
