Exquisitely formed with a wide mouth, gently rounded sides and a flat interior base, this Ru ware brush washer embodies the refined elegance of Northern Song imperial ceramics. The vessel is covered overall in a lustrous, sky-blue glaze, described in contemporaneous sources as “the colour of the sky after rain breaking through the clouds.” The subtle hue, enriched with agate in the glaze mixture, reveals a soft, jade-like sheen and remarkable depth beneath the surface.
Delicate network patterns known as “ice-crackle” have developed naturally over time, produced by the differential contraction of body and glaze, creating unique tracery resembling xie zhua wen (crab-claw patterns) or yuzi wen (fish-egg crackling). The greyish-beige “sesame-ash” body (xianghuitai) is smooth and fine-grained, visible only at the thinly glazed footrim. The washer was supported on five tiny spurs during firing, leaving minute sesame-shaped marks on the base—an identifying feature of authentic Ru ware.
Elegant in silhouette and subtle in texture, this brush washer reflects the Song aesthetic ideal of restraint and quiet beauty. With its soft glaze, pure form, and rare preservation, it stands as an outstanding representative of the celebrated Ru kilns—among the most treasured of all Chinese ceramics.
