A Cizhou marbled clay dish, Northern Song dynasty 北宋 磁州白釉絞胎盤

Wares of this type, known in Chinese as jiaotai, were a Tang dynasty innovation referencing a technique in lacquerware. By twisting and kneading together different coloured clays, a highly sophisticated of interweaving light and dark bands is created, resulting in a unique decorative surface on the vessel which has a timeless aesthetic appeal. This technique was later introduced to Japan and referred as ‘neriage’ and ‘nerikomi’.

Main production sites of such vessels during the Song dynasty include Dengfeng, Dangyangyu, Baofeng, Xin’an, and Wuxiu. The banded decoration formed by multi-coloured clays imitates natural patterns of feather, leaves, wood, and cloud. The dense pattern on this dish is elegantly woven in intricate layers, and demonstrates the superb craftsmanship of Song ceramics. Compare with a similar Cizhou bowl dated to the Song Dynasty excavated from the Dangyangyu kiln site in Henan Province, illustrated in Zhongguo dangyangyu kiln, Beijing, 2010, pl. 125. See also a Dangyanyu jar with similar feather pattern in the collections of the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Ceramics Gallery of the Palace Museum Vol. II: Song, Liao, Western Xia, Jin and Yuan Dynasties, Beijing, 2021, pl. 116; and a bowl in the Idemitsu Museum of Arts Collection, illustrated in Chinese Ceramics in the Idemitsu Collection, Tokyo, 1987, pl. 518.

Marbled ceramics display the consistency between the material nature and the physical appearance, which is highly praised in Chinese literati culture. This sophisticated ceramic tradition flourished in the Song dynasty and was gradually abandoned after the Yuan dynasty. Marbled wares were mostly utilitarian objects. Due to the laborious production process, all preserved marbled wares are unique and extremely valuable. Extant marbled dishes with feather patterns are rare, see an example from the collection of Jin Ming, illustrated in Geng Baochang, Selection of plates of porcelain wares collected by Jin Ming, Beijing, 1994, pl. 22; and a further example sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 2nd October 2017, lot 98.

此類瓷名「絞胎」，借鑒漆器工藝，始創於唐朝。於絞胎工藝非常複雜，取兩色胎土混合製胎，或以雙色土條貼於成器胎上而成。绞胎的技藝及審美後經傳入日本，稱為練上手（「練り込み（練込）」或「練り上げ（練上）」）。

宋代生產絞胎釉瓷的瓷窰大部分在河南，包括登封窰、當陽峪窰、寶豐窰、新安窰、以及武修窰等。用不同顏色胎土絞成不同圖案包括羽毛紋、樹葉紋、木紋、雲朵紋等。本拍品紋理精美，層次分明又錯綜複雜，展現出高超的工藝技術。河南蕩漾峪窰址於2004年曾出土一件宋代絞釉羽毛紋缽，錄於《中國當陽峪窯》，北京，2010年，圖125。北京故宮博物院藏一罐例，同屬當陽峪窰，載於《故宮陶瓷館 卷二：宋遼西夏金元》，北京，2021年，頁196，圖116。尚有一例出自東京出光美術館，錄於《出光美術館藏品圖錄：中國陶瓷》，東京，1987年，圖版518。

絞胎陶瓷內外相通、表裡如一，深受士大夫階層及文人君子喜愛。絞胎技藝在宋代名噪一時，在元代逐漸沒落。由於製作難度極高，且主要用於實用器物，所以流傳至今的絞胎瓷十分稀少名貴。市場上鮮少見與本品器型紋飾相似之同時代陶瓷器，比較金明收藏中一絞胎盤，錄於耿寶昌，《金明集瓷選錄》，北京，1994年，圖版22。另有一例售於香港佳士得，2017年10月2日，編號98。