This ovoid ewer has a trumpet mouth and a triple-stranded strap handle. It is covered with a translucent glaze that ends short of the base, revealing a fine white porcelain body. The sharply-angled spout and the strap-handle indicate that the design of this ewer was derived from a metal vessel. This replication of metallic forms was a common feature among ceramics of the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties. The general shape of this ewer is often seen among extant examples of ninth and tenth century monochrome ceramics. Produced at the Ding kilns in Hebei province, this ewer embodies the purity and understated elegance of early Ding wares; features which contributed to their popularity in both China and abroad.
