Ge-Type Prunus Vase

Ge-type porcelain was firstly made by one of the Five Great Kilns of the Song Dynasty--Ge Kiln. It is featured by cracks of all sizes and different colors covering the surface of a vessel. This was originally a deficiency caused by the manufacturing process but gradually turned to be a characteristic decoration later. To be simple, the cause of Ge ware crackle enamel lies in the larger expansion factor of the enamel compared with that of the base. The glaze generates a relatively large tensile stress and brings up numerous tiny cracks. This Ge-type prunus vase of Ming is made in dignified modeling, and mellow, even glazing color, which was unearthed from the joint tomb of Zhu Lvxiang, the eldest son of Jingjiang Prince Xianding, and his wife. At the time of excavation, the prunus vase contained dried betel nut shards as well as some herbal medicine, which reflects the hobby of the tomb owner during his lifetime and embedded his hope of continuing nursing his health.