Unveiling the Enigmatic Beauty of Ru Ware: China's Treasured Celestial Porcelain
China's rich history boasts a multitude of artistic marvels, and among them, Ru ware holds a particularly special place. This exquisite ceramic, shrouded in a veil of mystery, continues to captivate collectors and art enthusiasts worldwide with its ethereal beauty and unparalleled craftsmanship.
Ru ware originated during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD), a period renowned for its cultural and artistic flourishing. Produced at imperial kilns specifically for the Song court, Ru ware was a closely guarded secret, with its production techniques and locations lost to time. This scarcity, coupled with the limited number of surviving pieces, has only amplified the allure of this enigmatic ceramic.
What truly sets Ru ware apart is its mesmerizing celadon glaze – a mesmerizing shade of blue-green that evokes the tranquility of a jade sky on a clear day. This unique color is attributed to a complex interplay of iron oxide in the glaze, influenced by the firing temperature and reduction atmosphere in the kiln. The result is a glaze that is both lustrous and soft, often described as having a "waxy" or "oily" feel.
Ru ware pieces are characterized by their simple, elegant forms. Bowls, cups, and vases are popular examples, often boasting minimalist designs with subtle, incised patterns. The focus lies entirely on the mesmerizing glaze, allowing its captivating beauty to take center stage.
While the exact methods remain shrouded in secrecy, historical accounts suggest that Ru ware production was a meticulous process. The clay body was meticulously refined, and the glaze, composed of feldspar and quartz, was applied in a thin layer. The kilns were meticulously controlled, with firing temperatures reaching around 1,300 degrees Celsius (2,372 degrees Fahrenheit). This meticulousness resulted in pieces that were not only visually stunning but also remarkably strong and durable.
Sadly, the production of Ru ware ceased at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, likely due to the political turmoil of the time. With only about a hundred pieces estimated to exist worldwide, Ru ware has become an incredibly valuable commodity in the art market. Owning a piece of Ru ware is akin to owning a piece of history, a tangible connection to a bygone era of artistic excellence.
The largest known collections were:
- 21 pieces in the National Palace Museum, Taipei
- 17 in the British Museum, London (including the Percival David Collection)
- 17 in the Palace Museum, Beijing
- 9 in the Shanghai Museum
- 2 in the National Museum of China, Beijing
- 2 in the Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Single pieces in: Tianjin Municipal Art Museum; Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka; Hong Kong Museum of Art; Cleveland Museum of Art; Philadelphia Museum of Art; St. Louis Art Museum; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Cincinnati Art Museum; Princessehof Ceramics Museum, Leeuwarden; Dresden State Art Collections; and the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.