Miniature incense burner, Jun ware 1100 - 1300

This miniature incense burner was made in China from Jun ware. Jun ware like this involves a specific set of skills, and the right kind of clay, which when fired at high temperatures, results in this distinctive sky-blue glaze. Note the pooling and subtle variations in the glaze, these are not accidental, but achieved through controlling the kiln environment. The potter would have understood how to play with temperature and atmosphere to create these effects, a collaboration between human skill and material behavior. The intense heat of the kiln transforms the clay and glaze, vitrifying the material, making it strong, dense, and resonant, and the delicate crazing pattern on the surface is a hallmark of Jun ware, caused by the different rates of contraction between the glaze and the body during cooling. The skills required to produce this seemingly simple form would have been highly valued, and are a reminder that aesthetic refinement is often deeply connected to technical mastery. In appreciating this miniature incense burner, we recognize that fine art and craft are not so different after all.