Artist: Unknown; Date(s): circa 960 - 1126; Classification(s): stoneware, vase, throwing, stoneware, thrown, slipped in white and printed in iron black, under a thin clear glaze; Acquisition: bequeathed by Reitlinger, Henry Scipio, 1950, Bequeathed by H.S. Reitlinger, 1950; transferred from the Reitlinger Trust, 1991 [C.611-1991]
Description: Baluster vase. Cizhou type. Buff stoneware, thrown, slipped in white and printed in iron black, under a thin clear glaze. Baluster vase with a slender, cylindrical neck with a wide rimmed dish-mouth. The vase slants to the right. It is decorated with The Zen Patriarch Fenggan and his tiger, painted in dark-brown, On the other side are eight Chinese characters painted in a vertical line in iron black, inscribed Jihe ernian Jaofu Zaoyong (made for use by Zhaofu in the 2nd year of the Jihe reign period [=1056]). A cordon circles the vase above the slightly flared footrim with flat, recessed, unglazed base. The glaze stops at a fairly regular line approx 1" above the cordon.