China, Henan Province, Baofeng, Qingliangsi, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) / late 1000s–1127
Brush Washer
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Brush Washer as ceramic (China, Henan Province, Baofeng, Qingliangsi, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) · late 1000s–1127).
The little black spot in the glaze inside the dish is one of the slight imperfections characteristic of genuine Ru ware.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this ceramic as porcelaneous stoneware, Ru ware.
The museum's collection notes: Ru ware is the rarest and most celebrated of all Chinese imperial wares. It was made for the late Northern Song court for a very short time and was therefore extremely rare and precious. Simplicity and refined elegance are Ru ware's hallmarks. Its graceful shape, soft luster, and subtle color variation of the glaze interact in perfect unity. Other physical characteristics include an ash-grey body, soft greyblue glaze with a fine crackle, as well as small sesame-seed spur marks on the base.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtBrush WasherOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.