Authentic Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) Green Glazed "Hu" Pottery Jar

Authentic well proportioned Han Dynasty (206 BC-220AD) "Hu" vessel. Featuring a generous, bulbous body with a band of mythical animals in relief decorating the shoulder. The slightly everted neck rises to a thick lipped rim. The first pottery to survive in appreciable quantity belongs to the Han Dynasty; with the most common form being the hu. These baluster shaped vases were copied from bronze vessels of the same name and sometimes decorated with relief ornament in frieze that was taken directly from a bronze original. The main center for production of Han glazed ware was already shifting to the Zhejiang region, formerly known as Yue. Yue ware kilns of the eastern Han, produced a hard stoneware, often imitating the shapes of bronze vessels and decorated with impressed, bronzelike designs under a thin olive glaze.The vessels have a stoneware body and an olive or brownish green glaze and belong to the family of celadons, a term that looms large in any discussion of early Chinese wares. It is applied to glazes ranging from the olive of Yue to the deep green of later varieties. These colors were the result of a wash of slip containing a high proportion of iron that was put over the body before glazing. The iron interacted with the glaze during firing and colored it. Condition: Intact and in excellent condition overall, the green glaze with large areas of silvery patina and scattered surface encrustation. Dimensions: Height: approx. 12 inches (30.5 cm) A similar piece is in the Metropolitan Museum collection, accession number: 67.43.17 Another similar piece is illustrated by W.B.R Neave-Hill in ‘Chinese Ceramics’, 1975, cat 15, pg 25, John Batholomew & Son LTD Edinburgh & London. Provenance: Dr. Carmen Galvez Silverman Key West, Florida. Released from private collection that has sold in New York City galleries as well as top auction-Guaranteed Authentic All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. Free domestic shipping! Returns & exchanges Refunds and Exchanges We do accept returns within 30 days of the purchase of the item. However, the buyer is responsible for shipping the item back to us and that cost will not be refunded. We will refund your money for the item as soon as we receive the item back.