Southern Song Dynasty AD1127-1279

Hibiscus-shaped Washer with Bluish-green Glaze, Kuan ware

Height: 9.3 cm, diameter: 16 x 16.9 cm, weight: 1069 g

In the past, this cosmetics receptacle was referred to as a "washer." The whole piece is in the style of a hibiscus, with six petals. The top is modelled to resemble the flower itself in a concave design that ends in a circular indentation in the center. The blue-green glaze has been applied generously, taking on a deep blue color around areas where the glaze has accumulated, and yellowish-brown where the body can be seen through thinner areas of glaze. The crackling is sparse yet elongated, with a relatively light hue. The sides go straight down until they culminate into a ring foot, the rim of which is a dark brown.