Bowl - Longquan - Stoneware - Cloud Scrolls and Floral

A Rare and Exquisite Longquan Ware 'Cloud Scrolls and Floral' Bowl
Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD), China
Diameter 19.8 cm / Height 7.8 cm
With an original collector's box

This elegant Longquan celadon bowl exemplifies the refined ceramic tradition of the Southern Song dynasty, a period widely regarded as one of the highest achievements in Chinese ceramic history. The bowl is covered in a soft grey-green celadon glaze of subtle translucency, displaying a gentle network of natural crackles developed over centuries.

The interior is finely decorated with a central five-petalled floral medallion surrounded by delicately incised cloud-scroll motifs arranged rhythmically along the cavetto. The rim is subtly lobed, echoing the floral theme and creating a harmonious balance between form and decoration. Such restrained yet sophisticated ornamentation reflects the aesthetic ideals of the Southern Song court, where elegance and quiet refinement were highly prized.

Longquan kilns in Zhejiang province produced large quantities of celadon wares for both domestic use and international trade. Archaeological discoveries from the famous Nanhai No.1 shipwreck (南海一号), a Southern Song maritime trading vessel recovered from the South China Sea, have revealed numerous Longquan celadon bowls of closely related form and decoration. These finds demonstrate the importance of Longquan ceramics within the maritime Silk Road trade network and highlight their popularity across Southeast Asia and beyond.

The present bowl displays the classic characteristics associated with high-quality Longquan production: a thick yet luminous glaze, well-balanced potting, and finely carved decoration that subtly emerges through the celadon surface.

A similar Longquan Bowl, d. 16.8 cm, Southern Song dynasty, excavated from the Nanhai I shipwreck, in the collection of the National Museum of China, Beijing, illustrated in the Palace Museum, Longquan of the world : Longquan celadon and globalization, vol. III, A World Fasion, cat. 013, p. 051.

Provenance:
Formerly in a well-known Hong Kong private collection.

Condition:
Overall condition consistent with age. The glaze shows natural age-related crackle. On one side of the bowl there is a kiln-related firing flaw, consisting of a firing crack approximately 2 cm in length and a small adjacent kiln hole, both formed during the firing process. The foot ring shows a long crack extending approximately halfway around the foot. The base presents expected kiln marks and wear consistent with age. Please carefully review all photographs for a full assessment of condition and details.


Shipping worldwide by EMS, usually 7-14 days to deliver.