NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY 10th-12th CENTURY
Diameter 9.25in
of wide conical form with flaring sides, based on a short straight ring foot, the interior finely carved with a spray of lotus with two blossom and curly leaves, covered all over in a ivory white glaze except the rim unglazed revealing the white biscuit body.
This bowl epitomizes the quintessence of the understated beauty of Ding ware. The rhythmic and free incised lines display a high level of craftsmanship. A Dingyao white porcelain bowl of similar form and almost identical decorated lotus pattern is in the collection of National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Illustrated Catalogue of Sung Dynasty Porcelain in the National Palace Museum: Ding Ware and Ting-Type Ware, Taipei, 1973, plate 19. Another similar example could be found in the collection of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, see The Charles B. Hoyt Collection in the Museum of fine Arts: Boston, vol.2, Boston, 1972, plate. 27. A third similar example in the Baur collection, published in The Bauer collection, Vol. 1, Geneva, 1968, no. A11.