The piece 器
The er cai (“two-talent”) gaiwan keeps only the essentials: a bowl and its lid. Around the body flows an unbroken shanshui landscape — peaks, mist, a hut among pines — painted freehand in underglaze cobalt, with a small medallion scene waiting at the bottom of the bowl. The body is thrown eggshell-thin (薄胎): hold it against the light and the porcelain glows.
The making 工
Thrown and trimmed to eggshell thinness, painted stroke by stroke, then fired once at high temperature. The glaze comes out glossy and even; the painting fine-lined with a strong sense of atmosphere. This piece is graded flawless — no pinholes, no warp, no compromise.
Specifications
- Origin — Jingdezhen, China
- Material — eggshell high-fired porcelain
- Decoration — hand-painted underglaze cobalt landscape
- Glaze — glossy, fine and even
- Body — eggshell-thin, light in the hand
- Care — hand-wash; thin walls deserve gentle hands
Each gaiwan is painted individually — small variations in the landscape are the signature of handwork, not flaws.
