Kangxi period, Chinese (1662-1722), Sang de Boeuf Vase

One of the great pieces of ceramics of the Kangxi (Emperor K'ang-hsi period of the Qing dynasty) was the revival of this blood-red glaze. Sang de boeuf means "blood of ox" glaze. The glaze had been used earlier but the secret of making it was lost during the Jiajing reign (1522-1566) when the supply of material being used ran out. The color comes from small amounts of copper oxide in the glaze. The glaze, when applied, probably ran down the sides of the vase, stopping miraculously short of the foot through amazing technical control. The perfect control achieved by the Kangxi potters is usually lacking in vases of later periods, where the glaze typically ran over the foot and had to be ground or chipped off. Such monochromatic glazes were always considered aesthetically pleasing to the Chinese cultivated taste. This vase is a typical graceful, well-balanced shape.