Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How did Jun ware potters create lavender-blue and crimson-purple glazes?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Chinese pottery
Painted Pottery funerary urn, Neolithic Banshan phase, c. 3000 bce, from Yangshao, Henan province, China; in the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm. Height 13.2 inches (33.5 cm).
Jun ware is a type of stoneware produced during the Northern Song period, characterized by its distinctive glaze effects. The base of these pieces is typically covered in a thick, opalescent lavender-blue glaze.12
To create the characteristic splashes or mottling of purple or crimson, potters incorporated copper oxide into the glaze. When applied with restraint, these splashes appear on the finest examples of Jun ware; however, on later Jun-type wares, the application of this pigment could result in a more mottled, intense appearance. These glazes often feature a fine network of cracks, and the overall aesthetic is known for its depth and warmth.12