Bird-Headed Ewer
Unknown Artist
600s–700s
Medium
green-glazed stoneware with modeled, molded, and applied decoration
Dimensions
h. 42.1 cm
Classification
Ceramic
Department
Chinese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1989.2
About this artwork
With a lobed body, a bird-shaped head, and a birdfeather loop handle, this ewer is derived from West and Central Asian metalwork: Tang potters adopted foreign shapes (bird-headed ewer and amphora) and foreign motifs (floral medallions, vines, palmette, and roundel designs) with great freedom. The artistic expressions bespoke the confidence and spirit of the period. This work is a representation of northern celadon, although it is commonly believed that the northern kilns specialized in white war...