Vase with Flowering Plum

Unknown artist

A harbinger of spring, the flowering plum is a traditional motif in Chinese art. The lively branch here was created by covering the surface of the vase with wax or some other resist before covering it with a glaze. This technique is typical of the art of the Jizhou kilns, located in the southeast in Jiangxi Province and noted for their experimentation with surface decoration as well as for their tea bowls. Unlike many other ceramic types, Jizhou wares were not exported to other countries.