Glazed Kitchen Jar

A black glaze clings to the gentle swell of this 19th-century jar, once used daily in a Qing-dynasty kitchen. The wide-mouth jar is shaped with gently sloping sides, rounded shoulders topped with small strap handles, and a rounded lip at the opening. The dark glaze has an opaque finish textured by the banded surface of the ceramic body with subtle wear and blistering. Stopping short of the base, the irregular glaze spills over the jar onto the bottom like a waterfall.