Compilation of an Expert Passport for a Yuan Dynasty Vase with Scrollwork Decoration

EXPERT PASSPORT Catalog Number: YU-SC-30-E-01Object Title: Vase with Scrollwork Decoration Origin: China, likely Zhejiang province, Jingdezhen-style manufacturePeriod: Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368 AD)Material: Stoneware with white slip, underglaze iron-brown and black decoration, clear slightly creamy glazeDimensions: Height — 30 cm Description Pear-shaped vase with a tall cylindrical neck and straight mouth. The surface is covered with a transparent glaze applied over a white slip, beneath which the decoration is painted in dark-brown and black pigments. The scrollwork pattern, executed freehand with mineral-based pigments, repeats rhythmically and creates a symmetrical decorative grid. The motifs clearly display Islamic ornamental influence, characteristic of the trans-Asian artistic exchange during the Yuan period. Technical Features Paste: light-colored body with coarse quartz inclusions (confirmed by microscopy) Firing: high-temperature (1250–1300°C) in a reducing atmosphere Glaze: transparent, slightly creamy, applied over slip Decoration: underglaze, iron-rich pigments in brown and black tones Base Unglazed, with concentric wheel marks. Natural patina and irregular cracking typical of long-term storage. The finish indicates handmade production. Microscopic Analysis Layered and porous paste structure, consistent with Yuan-period ceramics Uneven glaze–body junction with natural transition Variation in pigment penetration into the slip and glaze, confirming freehand underglaze painting technique Attribution Based on form, paste composition, painting technique, and ornamental program, the vessel is confidently attributed to the Yuan Dynasty, belonging to the group of ceramics with Islamic decorative influence. Comparative Analysis 🏛 Museum Parallels: Victoria & Albert Museum, LondonBottle, Yuan dynasty (1279–1368), earthenware with transparent glaze and underglaze iron-brown decoration.— Accession number: C.1242-1910— collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O133232/bottle-unknown— Nearly identical in form, size, and scrollwork decoration. Freer & Sackler Galleries (Smithsonian Institution)— Yuan dynasty, underglaze iron-brown scrollwork, Zhejiang/Jingdezhen-type. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford— Yuan-period Cizhou-type scroll-decorated vases, similar glaze tone and brushwork style. Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2013— Cizhou-type whorl vase, late 14th century, Lot 142. Conclusion This vessel represents a rare and well-preserved example of high-fired Yuan ceramics with Islamic ornamental influences. It is of significant value for the study of cross-cultural exchange in the 13th–14th centuries and is of museum quality. PHOTO PROTOCOL — Yuan Period and Kiln Features Photo 1 — Overall view of the vase Form: elongated pear shape with tall cylindrical neck and straight mouth — typical of late Yuan shapes inspired by Middle Eastern metalwork. Ornament: continuous scrollwork painted in underglaze iron-brown and black. This type of decoration appears in Yuan-period Cizhou and Jingdezhen wares aimed at Islamic markets. Glaze: transparent, slightly creamy, evenly distributed — indicating controlled high-temperature firing in enclosed chamber kilns, likely a “dragon kiln” (longyao) or a later modification. Photo 2 — Macro at the rim Glaze thickness: uniform transparent glaze layer over slip, without evidence of double-dipping. Paint line: brown iron pigment has slightly penetrated the slip — a Yuan practice where decoration was applied to damp or semi-dry slip before glazing. Kiln feature: slight tonal variation near the rim from temperature fluctuations typical in Yuan-period kilns. Photo 3 — Base of the vase Unglazed foot: evidence of firing on ring-shaped setters to prevent glaze from sticking to the kiln floor. Concentric wheel marks: confirm hand-throwing on the potter’s wheel. Surface: weathered areas and patina consistent with centuries of storage. Photo 4 — Macro of scroll detail Brushwork: variation in line thickness and small pigment “breaks” confirm freehand painting, not stenciling. Pigment: iron-rich brown, appearing nearly black in thicker applications — a known Yuan characteristic. Slip: tiny quartz inclusions visible, matching Jingdezhen/Zhejiang paste recipes. Photo 5 — Macro of glaze defect Glaze flaw: bubbles and a small chip exposing slip beneath. Such flaws occurred when glaze and slip expanded at different rates during fast heating in the kiln. Underglaze pigment: clearly visible beneath glaze, confirming authentic underglaze technique. Photo 6 — Macro of central scroll Radiating “spokes” around scroll: a motif typical of Yuan Cizhou-type decoration, stylizing a sun or floral rosette. Pigment saturation: darker in the center, more translucent at the edges — evidence of continuous brushstroke without reloading pigment. Photo 7 — Microscopic view of paste Coarse-grained body: consistent with northern Chinese and early southern Yuan production, where quartz sand was added to reduce shrinkage. Irregularities and fissures: signs of long-term aging and weathering. Kiln technology: such inclusions and uneven vitrification are typical of large tunnel or dragon kilns where temperature distribution was imperfect. Key Yuan Features Visible in Photos Shape & proportions — Middle Eastern influence in profile. Underglaze iron-rich painting — typical of Yuan Cizhou-type and early Jingdezhen wares. Paste composition — coarse body with quartz inclusions. Glaze — transparent, slightly creamy, with bubbles and micro-defects from medieval firing. Base — ring-setter firing marks and wheel-throwing traces.