A jihong-glazed offering bowl, Qing dynasty

Ritual bowl in the shape of a molded deep plate with thin walls and an open rim. The color used for this bowl is called "jihong" or "sacrificial red" because it was used by the emperor's royal family for rituals to heaven, earth, sun, and moon. It is a deep red glaze impregnated in a smooth layer that reveals the rim of the bowl under a layer of glaze. Correctly applied, it is observed without staining, blurring or flaking. It was a style of porcelain that was difficult to produce and exclusive to the emperor. The base features a six-character square mark and Qianlong blue underglaze "大清乾隆年制".

Diameter: 20.70cm; Height: 5.50 cm

Provenance: European private collection.