SOUTHERN SONG DYNASTY, 12TH-13TH CENTURY

The extraordinary demonic face decorating the base of the spout of this qingbai ewer is similar to that of a Southern Song qingbai ewer excavated in 1998 in Fuzhou city, Fujian, illustrated in Zhongguo chutu ciqi quanji (Complete Collection of Ceramic Art Unearthed in China), vol. 10, Fujian, Beijing, 2008, pl. 94. Like the present ewer, the Fujian ewer has a vertically lobed body, but has a cup-shaped mouth rather than a flaring mouth, and double loops on the shoulder rather than decorative upright tabs. A related demonic face, but with more exaggerated features, can be seen decorating the base of the spout of a qingbai ewer and cover dated to the Southern Song dynasty illustrated by R. Krahl in Yuegutang: A Collection of Chinese Ceramics in Berlin, Berlin, 2000, p. 260, pl. 213. Also illustrated, p. 210, pl. 210, is a qingbai ewer dated Five Dynasties or Northern Song period, which has molded upright tabs similar to those on the present ewer flanking the base of the neck.