Shufu Glaze Porcelain Stem Bowl

Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368)

Incised with four cranes flying amongst clouds and marked with the characters Shu and Fu meaning 'Privy Council', the exterior with raised clouds motif.

H. 3 1/8 in., D. 6 1/8 in.

Note: Developed in the 14th Century and thought to be the first known porcelain ordered by imperial officials, it was a major departure from the transparent 'yingqing' glazes. Shufu glazed porcelain has a soft, white, bluish opaque glaze with a very low amount of calcium oxide (limestone). Some of the fine silica in the glaze remain undissolved in the firing producing a white matte translucency rather than transparency. Shufu glazes were used on relatively thick porcelains with blunt rims. Low lime glazes like Shufu interact less with the porcelain bodies, resulting in less distortion of the porcelain shape.