Dish with Flowers
Song Dynasty (960–1279)
Medium
Stoneware with underglaze carved decoration
Dimensions
1.4 × 9.4 cm (9/16 × 3 11/16 in.); Diam.: 9.4 cm (3 11/16 in.)
Classification
ceramics
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
17518
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Dish with Flowers* hails from China's Song Dynasty (960–1279), a golden age of artistic refinement and cultural flourishing. Crafted from stoneware, this petite vessel—measuring just 1.4 × 9.4 cm—exemplifies the era's mastery of ceramics, where everyday objects were elevated to art through subtle elegance and harmony with nature. Likely used for serving sweets or spices, its modest scale invites intimate appreciation. The dish's standout feature is its underglaze carved decoration, a sophisticated technique where floral motifs were incised through a layer of slip (liquid clay)...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...