Jingdezhen "Cerulean Tales" Qinghua Gaiwans (Approx. 100 ml)
Dimensions: 3.5" wide x 3" tall
The Cerulean Tales Qinghua Gaiwan celebrates the timeless beauty of cobalt blue underglaze—reimagined through a softer, more tactile lens. Hand-crafted and hand-painted in Jingdezhen, China’s legendary porcelain capital, each gaiwan brings together centuries-old qinghua technique with a contemporary stoneware body and reduction firing.
Classic qinghua is made by painting cobalt onto unfired clay, sealing it under a clear glaze, and firing once at high temperature in a reduction atmosphere. Achieving a deep, stable blue depends not only on brushwork, but on cobalt quality, glaze behavior, precise kiln control, and oxygen balance—making qinghua a long-recognized benchmark of ceramic mastery.
In this collection, the artist uses that historic method in a more expressive, storybook way. Natural motifs—ginkgo leaves, goldfish, and feathers—are painted freely and playfully, allowing each piece to feel alive and slightly different. Instead of traditional porcelain, these gaiwans are made from stoneware and reduction-fired to create a surface that shifts between soft matte textures and subtle glossy highlights. The result is a quiet contrast: grounded and calm in the hand, yet animated by drifting blue forms beneath the glaze.
Jingdezhen has long been a place where ceramic traditions were refined, standardized, and pushed forward—from imperial wares to experimental studios today. This gaiwan reflects that legacy perfectly: a historic qinghua technique, thoughtfully adapted into something fresh, tactile, and deeply personal.
Each gaiwan is hand-painted and one of a kind, balancing the stoic, earthy feel of stoneware with the whimsical elegance of cobalt blue underglaze—made for slow, attentive tea sessions and collectors who appreciate both tradition and joyful art.
