Bidspirit auction | Northern Song Dynasty: Ding Ware

Northern Song Dynasty: Ding Ware White-glaze Impressed-gourd-shaped Ewer - A Northern Song Ding kiln white-glazed ewer in the shape of a double-gourd—slender mouth, graceful neck, swelling upper bulb, narrow waist, and broad, full lower belly that tapers to a neatly carved foot. A tall, elegant spout rises straight; opposite, a fluid, looped handle balances perfectly—harmonious, graceful, and blessed with the lucky symbolism of the gourd: Fu Lu, fortune and rank. Clad entirely in luminous ivory-white glaze—warm, smooth, and subtly lustrous, like carved jade or congealed cream. The surface bears delicate, moulded patterns unfurling beneath the glaze: upright lotus petals crown the upper gourd; scrolling blossoms wind gently across the belly; another lotus band encircles the foot—symmetrical, refined, and softly veiled so detail reveals itself only on closer view. Fine, pale body clay at the foot completes the harmony. In form, glaze, and restrained ornament, it embodies the timeless Ding ideal: pure white, quietly magnificent, and masterfully understated—a treasure of Northern Song ceramic art.