序 言：
白色作为中国古代陶瓷中不可或缺的重要颜色，与我们相伴了千年之久，它被人们赋予了光明，纯洁，与快乐的意义，代表着人们心中最圣洁的那一片净土。
白瓷的烧造是困难的，需要排除胎土中的杂质与釉料中的杂色，这在当时较为原始的烧造技法中，是相当具有挑战性的，随着技术的成熟与经验的累积，人们逐渐掌握了白瓷的烧制技术，也顺利的烧制出了拥有纯净釉面质感的白瓷，正所谓类银似雪，好的白瓷让人从视觉上的愉悦逐渐延伸到了精神世界中的享受。
2015年著名古董商J.J.Lally联合Ronald W. Longsdorf举办了一场早期白瓷展览，此次展览所选器物，以中国早期白瓷为主，颜色纯净甜美，虽没有过多的装饰，但依靠器型线条的变化，还是深深的打动了我们。
Designing luxury goods and packaging for the fashion, beauty and housewares markets has been my occupation for over 40 years. I have worked with most of the materials from which these products are made, but the most challenging and rewarding has been ceramics. Sophisticated manufacturing has all but replaced the artisanal approach which defined their history, yet this exposure to modern ceramics production has given me a unique appreciation for the history of the ceramic art and the lengthy trial-and-error evolution which produced some of the most remarkable ceramics the world has ever seen. It all developed in China. The large body of extraordinarily beautiful and complex ceramics created over many millennia in China is ample proof of China’s pre-eminence in world ceramics. My understanding of that miraculous achievement, coupled with my experience in modern manufacturing techniques, inspired me to learn more about the early Chinese potters and their craft. My enthusiasm for collecting soon deepened into an even more passionate inquiry.
Early in my collecting days I recognized that a wide-ranging collection of beautiful pieces from many categories would not be as rewarding as a collection created by a disciplined strategy of identifying a few specific categories and buying in depth within those categories. One of the categories which has interested me the longest is early Chinese white ware which I started collecting more than twenty-five years ago. It has an incredibly long history, from the earliest attempts to produce white pottery in stone age China, during the Dawenkou culture (4300–2400 BC), through the white stonewares of the Sui and Tang dynasties, and on to the first true porcelains Introduction introduced by the Ding kilns at the end of Tang dynasty. It has been a long and complicated development characterized by many stops and starts and long periods of slow progress followed by exciting periods of wonderful achievements in technology and the creation of vessels of great beauty.
Looking at it from today’s point of view, the early porcelains in China may seem less surprising than when they first appeared. I think innovations, however revolutionary, always look more obvious in retrospect. Today we see white ware in every home furnishings shop, restaurant and home. It is ubiquitous and so it fails to impress. But imagine what it would have been like to see a piece of white porcelain for the first time in the Tang or Five Dynasties periods. It would have seemed nothing short of miraculous. How could this possibly have been made? It couldn’t be further from the crude earth from which it was produced. The first white porcelain was praised at the time in the most poetic terms, comparing it to the moon, snow, white flowers and even silver! No wonder we see examples of late Tang white ware (including the famous “Samarra” bowls) being desired everywhere around the world outside China. It was big news, and it was global news. It didn’t take long to attract the notice of the Emperor. Imperial officials in charge of supervising the ceramics industry were instructed to select the best pieces to be sent to the Palace as tribute.
If the order for such a ware had been placed at that time in the way it is done today in my commercial world, spelling out all of the product requirements, cost objectives and delivery schedule, it would have been a complex and daunting order, one which only China was able to fill. The products would have to be affordable. They would have to have the remarkable pure white color with absolute consistency. They would have to be elegantly thin so that they would appeal to the consumers’ taste for refinement, but relatively unbreakable so as to ship well and arrive intact. And they would have to be able to survive the abuses of regular domestic use over time. These dishes and bowls, boxes and vases, ewers and other accessories were made pri - marily for daily use at all levels of Chinese society, with the best designs and most refined vessels reserved for use by the elite. Order filled!
My style of collecting is a combination of emotional response and careful analysis. When I find a piece that is very beautiful on its own, outside any academic or historical context, purely based on aesthetics, I am immediately compelled to consider it for the collection. But first, I try to temper my enthu - siasm by asking myself the following questions: Is it rare enough to give the collection some singularity? Does it exemplify one of the game-changing innovations which impacted the evolution of white ware, such as an especially thin wall, or translucency of the glaze? Is the form new? The cut-rim dishes, for example, which I love, must have been quite popular at the time. There are so many versions, several of which are represented in the collection. What do the marks and inscriptions tell us? Finally, does the piece have an interesting collection and exhibition provenance? If it is truly exemplary by one or more of these criteria, then I take a deep breath and ask the price.
I only wish I could have been a member of the scholar-elite in China during the Northern Song dynasty when these superb white wares were in use at elegant banquets such as the one shown in Emperor Huizong’s famous painting.
Ronald W. Longsdorf
Catalogue
01 / 隋 - 邢窑或巩县窑白瓷杯及高足托
A Cup and Pedestal Stand
Sui Dynasty (A.D. 581–618)
Xing or Gongxian kilns
the thinly potted deep bell-shaped cup resting on a small solid foot, the matching stand in the shape of a stemdish with a raised collar to receive the cup in the center of the wide dish-shaped platform on a tall trumpet-shaped foot, all made of cream-white stoneware and covered with a transparent glossy glaze of pale greenish tint, the foot of the cup and underside of the pedestal unglazed.
Height overall 53⁄4 inches (14.6 cm)
Cup diameter 37⁄8 inches (8.7 cm);
height 3 inches (7.6 cm)
Stand diameter 53⁄8 inches (13.7 cm);
height 25⁄8 inches (7.4 cm)
Two Cups
Sui Dynasty (A.D. 581–618)
Xing or Gongxian kilns
each of well-potted deep bell shape resting on a small foot with splayed sides, covered inside and out with a finely crackled transparent glossy glaze of pale greenish tint, the rounded base and solid foot left unglazed revealing the cream-white body.
Diameter 33⁄8 and 37⁄16 inches (8.6 and 8.7 cm)
Height 31⁄16 and 31⁄8 inches (7.8 and 7.9 cm)
03 / 隋 - 邢窑或巩县窑白瓷大杯二只
Two Large Cups
Sui Dynasty (A.D. 581–618)
Xing or Gongxian kilns
each of well-potted deep bell shape resting on a small foot with slightly splayed sides, covered inside and out with a glossy transparent glaze of pale greenish tint applied over chalk-white slip, with three spur marks on the center of the interior, the glaze gathering in a line low on the exterior, leaving the rounded base and solid foot unglazed.
Diameter 43⁄4 and 47⁄8 inches (12.2 and 12.5 cm)
Height 31⁄2 and 33⁄4 inches (9 and 9.3 cm)
04 / 唐 - 邢窑「盈」字款白瓷盖罐
Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618–907)of well-potted ovoid form with steeply rounded shoulders and short concave neck, the wide mouth with rolled-out rim, the matching domed cover with flat brim and angular bud-form knop, covered with a clear glaze on the exterior, the underside unglazed, the jar covered inside and out with a lustrous clear glaze ending in a straight line just above the chamfered edge of the flat base revealing the fine white porcelaneous body, incised at the center of the base with the character 盈 'ying’ (abundant).Height overall 101⁄8 inches (25.7 cm)Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618–907)of almost spherical form with short neck, the wide mouth with thick rolled-out rim, the cover of shallow domed shape with small bud-form knop, covered inside and out with a glossy transparent glaze, the glaze on the jar ending just above the crisply cut edge of the flat base, revealing the fine white porcelaneous body.Height overall 51⁄2 inches (13.9 cm)An Ewer with Trumpet NeckLate Tang Dynasty, A.D. 9th–10th Centuryof slender tapered ovoid form with high rounded shoulders, short neck and wide trumpet mouth, applied with a triple-strand handle tied with a band at the top and with a stud at the join to the shoulder, the short spout rising at a sharp angle on the shoulder opposite the handle, covered inside and out with a translucent glaze of very pale bluish tint and with a softly matte surface, gathering in pale 'tears’ low on the sides, the flat base with slightly splayed sides, the underside unglazed revealing the fine white porcelain body.Height 81⁄8 inches (20.7 cm)A Yu hu chun ping Vase With 'Marbled’ GlazeJin Dynasty (A.D. 1115–1234)the pear-shaped body covered with a dramatic combination of dark chocolate-brown, cream-white and orangey caramel-colored glazes swirled and mixed together in imitation of natural markings on marble stone, the tall slender neck and trumpet mouth in cream-white above a double collar of dark brown on the sloping shoulders, with a clear glossy glaze overall, the rounded base and wide ring foot unglazed revealing the pale buff pottery body.Height 77⁄8 inches (20.1 cm)Late Tang Dynasty – Five Dynasties, A.D. 9th–10th Centurythe rounded ovoid vessel with tall slender cylindrical neck rising to a cup-shaped mouth with crisply finished slightly flaring lip, covered inside and out with a glossy transparent glaze ending unevenly around the edge of the solid circular foot, the flat base with very slightly recessed center left unglazed revealing the dry white porcelain.Height 4 inches (10.2 cm)A Shallow Bowl on 'B i - Disc’ FootLate Tang Dynasty, A.D. 10th Centurywith steeply rounded sides flaring to a rolled-out lip and forming a continuous concave surface on the interior, standing on a solid ring foot resembling a jade bi-disc, with a clear glaze of pale greenish tint inside and out, showing a cluster of darker 'tear marks’ on the underside, the recessed center of the foot also glazed and with a typical small thumbnail mark under the glaze on the straight outer side of the foot, the knife-pared wide flat base of the foot unglazed revealing the pure white porcelain body.Diameter 61⁄8 inches (15.5 cm)Northern Song Dynasty (A.D. 960–1127)with wide mouth, covered with a transparent glaze showing a very faint bluish tint where the glaze pools at the inside of the galleried mouth rim, the sides tapering to a rimless foot with square-cut edge, the recessed base left unglazed revealing the white porcelaneous body.Height 91⁄4 inches (23.5 cm)Liao Dynasty (A.D. 907–1125)of slender baluster form with long cylindrical neck rising to a wide flaring mouth with high galleried rim, covered with a cream-white slip under a clear glossy glaze, the slightly splayed edge of the foot left unglazed and the stoneware body showing a mottled brown color, the recessed base encrusted with sand.Height 175⁄8 inches (44.8 cm)An Amphora with Dragon HandlesTang Dynasty, A.D. 7th Centurythe ovoid vessel surmounted by a slender neck flanked by studded double-stranded handles rising from the high shoulders and ending in stylized horned dragon heads biting at the rounded rim of the wide cup-shaped mouth, covered with a very finely crackled translucent glaze of pale greenish tint ending in an uneven line below the median, the sides tapered down to a solid base with slightly splayed edge, the exposed white stoneware showing pinkish coloration from firing.Height 131⁄8 inches (33.3 cm)
A Trefoil Dish
Five Dynasties –Early Northern Song Dynasty, A.D. 10th Century
Ding kilns
with gently rounded flaring sides formed by three wide petal-shaped lobes rising from a plain recessed medallion in the center, covered inside and out with a transparent glaze of pale ivory tone, showing characteristic 'tear marks’ where the glaze pools on the underside, the glaze ending unevenly short of the wide ring foot with shallow straight sides enclosing an inset flat base left unglazed revealing the fine white porcelain.Diameter 43⁄4 inches (12 cm)A Quatrefoil Dish with Barbed RimFive Dynasties – Early Northern Song Dynasty, A.D. 10th Centurywith thinly potted sides gently rounded and flaring out from the flat center to an angled rim neatly pared to form four wide lotus-petal brackets, covered with a thin layer of white slip under a lustrous clear glaze inside and out, showing 'tear marks’ on the underside where the glaze pools, the sides of the high ring foot slightly splayed on the exterior and slightly canted in on the interior, the edge of the foot and the recessed base unglazed, the exposed porcelain dressed in white slip.Diameter 69⁄16 inches (16.7 cm)A Quatrefoil Dish with Barbed RimFive Dynasties – Early Northern Song Dynasty, A.D. 10th Centurywith shallow rounded sides flaring out from the slightly recessed plain central medallion and rising to a lipless rim neatly pared into four wide lotus-petal brackets, covered with a lustrous clear glaze inside and out, showing 'tear marks’ on the underside where the glaze pools and resting on a square-cut low ring foot with chamfered edge, the flat base and foot rim with a casual streak of glaze but largely unglazed, showing the fine white porcelain.Diameter 63⁄8 inches (16.2 cm)A Pentafoil Dish with Barbed RimLate Tang Dynasty – Five Dynasties, A.D. 10th Centurywith shallow rounded sides flaring out from the plain central medallion and rising to a lipless rim neatly pared into five wide lotus-petal brackets, covered with a lustrous clear glaze inside and out, showing 'tear marks’ on the underside where the glaze shades to a yellowish-ivory tone, and resting on a slightly splayed high ring foot of wedge-shaped cross section, the glaze ending low on the sides, leaving the foot and base unglazed revealing the fine white porcelain.Diameter 61⁄4 inches (15.9 cm)Late Tang Dynasty – Five Dynasties, A.D. 10th Centurywith thinly potted, gently rounded shallow sides rising from a plain center to a flared lipless rim crisply cut into five pairs of rounded petals, covered inside and out with a lustrous clear glaze shading to a yellowish creamy tone on the underside where the glaze gathers in characteristic 'tear marks’ and ends neatly around the border of a very shallow pared ledge above the low ring foot, the foot and base unglazed, revealing the fine white porcelain.Diameter 63⁄8 inches (16.1 cm)Tang Dynasty – Five Dynasties, A.D. 10th Centurywith wide flaring sides rising from a broad plain central medallion to a knife-pared rim divided into five unequal petal-lobes by shallow rounded notches above raised ribs on the interior and corresponding indented grooves on the exterior, covered inside and out with a clear glaze of very pale bluish tint which ends unevenly around the border of a shallow angled ridge on the underside, the wide ring foot with squared sides and chamfered edge, the base and foot left unglazed revealing the fine white porcelain.Diameter 83⁄8 inches (21.3 cm)A Conical Bowl with Five-Point Foliate RimLate Tang Dynasty – Five Dynasties, A.D. 10th Centurywith very gently rounded flaring sides rising from a flat floor to a knife-cut rim divided into five bracket-lobes each centered with a sharp point, showing long thin horizontal 'wheel marks’ on the exterior, covered with a transparent glaze of pale yellowish-ivory tint extending to the edge of the wide ring foot with slightly splayed narrow sides, the rim of the foot and the recessed base unglazed, exposing the white porcelain body.Diameter 81⁄8 inches (20.7 cm)20 / 遼 - 邢窑或定窑「易定」款白瓷提梁雞冠壶Liao Dynasty (A.D. 907–1125)following the form of a leather canteen, with swelling sides gathered to a sharp ridge at the top beneath the handle which rises in an elegant arc from the back of the flask to the short upright cylindrical spout embellished with a raised collar and with small knobs imitating rivets, applied with long straight fillets of clay on the narrow front and back and with two more raised fillets applied in long arcs sweeping low on the wide sides, imitating sewn seams, covered with a transparent glaze showing a pale bluish tint where it pools in the recesses, the glaze ending in an uneven line around the border of the unglazed base, the exposed surface of the white porcelain burnt pale tan in the firing, with two characters incised at the center of the base: 易定 (yi ding).Height 87⁄8 inches (22.5 cm)21 / 北宋初年 - 定窑「易定」墨款白瓷花口盤An Inscribed Flower-Shaped DishEarly Northern Song Dynasty, A.D. 10th Centurywith gently rounded sides flaring out from a slightly concave center to a knife-pared rim divided into five simple petal-lobes by wide shallow notches, covered inside and out with an ivory-tinted clear glaze showing slightly darker 'tear marks’ on the underside and ending unevenly around the angle of the flat unglazed base, the exposed surface of the white porcelain burnt pale russet in firing, with an inscription of thirty characters brush-written in black ink, including a poem in two lines followed by a date and signature.Diameter 71⁄4 inches (18.5 cm)The inscription may be read as: 甌開易定凝霜雪 巧妝月色萬里雲 太平興國元年六月六日 建州府劉章 題。Northern Song Dynasty (A.D. 960–1127)thinly potted, with very gently curving flared sides rising at a wide angle from the chamfered edge of the flat base to a lipless rim divided into six lobes by shallow notches, covered inside and out and over the base with a transparent glaze of pale ivory tone, except for the edge of the mouth rim which is unglazed, revealing the white porcelain body.Diameter 61⁄2 inches (16.5 cm)23 / 晚唐－五代 - 邢窑或定窑「官」字款白瓷斗笠形碗A Thinly Potted Conical BowlLate Tang Dynasty – Five Dynasties, A.D. 10th Centurywith flat flaring sides rising from the concave rounded center to a well-finished lipless rim, standing on a knife-pared ring foot with shallow straight sides and chamfered outer edge, covered inside and out with a clear glossy glaze, showing a few 'tear marks’ on the underside, the slightly recessed flat base also glazed, the well-trimmed edge of the foot unglazed exposing the fine white porcelain, incised through the glaze on the base before firing with the character 官 'guan’ (official).Diameter 61⁄8 inches (15.6 cm)A Pair of Rounded Conical BowlsFive Dynasties – Early Northern Song, A.D. 10th Centuryeach with gently rounded wide flaring sides rising from a slightly recessed central medallion defined by a single incised line and resting on a shallow ring foot of wedge-shaped section, covered inside and out with a lustrous clear glaze of distinctly bluish tone ending unevenly around the foot and splashing over the foot rim, the flat recessed base unglazed revealing the white porcelain body burnt pale tan at the center during the firing.Diameter 77⁄8 and 73⁄4 inches (20.1 and 19.6 cm)A Small Cylindrical Box and CoverNorthern Song Dynasty (A.D. 960–1127)with flush-fitting straight sides, the base of the box rounded in to a countersunk foot, the cover resting on a crisply cut ledge and held in place by an inner flange around the mouth of the box, the top of the cover rounded up to a wide dome, echoing the form of the base, with a glossy transparent glaze of pale ivory tone ending short of the foot on the exterior and liberally splashed on the interior, the rims wiped clean of glaze exposing the white porcelain body.A Drum-Shaped Box and CoverSong – Jin Dynasty, A.D. 13th Centuryperhaps made to hold weiqi game counters, modelled after a barrel-drum with rounded sides tapering down to a raised band above four stylized flowerheads in relief above the ring foot enclosing a countersunk flat base, the close-fitting flat cover completing the shape and decorated with matching flowerheads above a raised collar around the rim, covered inside and out with a transparent glaze over chalk-white slip, except for a ring on the interior base, and the edges of the foot rim and mouth rim, all left unglazed exposing the silvery-gray stoneware.Height 33⁄4 inches (9.5 cm)Northern Song Dynasty – Jin Dynasty, A.D. 12th Centuryresting on a flat foot encircled by a deftly pared shallow concave band slightly angled out to meet the gently rounded base of the very slightly flaring flat sides rising to a thick narrow band around the exterior of the very slightly rolled-out mouth, the flat floor on the interior with incised line border, covered with a lustrous glaze of ivory tone all over, only the edge of the rim unglazed exposing the fine white body unevenly burnt pale pinkish tan in the firing.Diameter 43⁄8 inches (11.1 cm)
此次展览一共展出了27件器物，虽没有特别特殊且造型夸张的器物，但我们看到了两个热爱中国文化的外国人，是如何把自己喜欢的器物做成一个系列，并通过展览的形式呈现给我们的，白瓷的性格也许就是这样的内敛，含蓄，它就静静的在哪里，等一个可以真正读懂它的人。
