Large black-glazed stoneware jar – Shanxi, China

Large black-glazed stoneware jar, Shanxi, China. Late 19th – early 20th century.

• Former storage vessel, characterized by a thick, ribbed surface with brown-black tones and caramel highlights.
• Provenance: Claude de Marteau collection.
• Sold with certificate of origin.
• Dimensions: H 73 cm

Black-glazed stoneware storage jar

This large black-glazed stoneware pot, from the Shanxi region of China, was intended for storing liquid or solid goods, such as oils, wine, or food. Its surface features a glossy dark glaze, marked by relatively deep vertical ridges.

The shape of this vessel follows a widely distributed utilitarian production tradition, linked to regional and maritime trade routes. Comparable jars, sometimes referred to as “martaban,” were used for transporting and preserving goods due to their robustness and watertightness.

The material presents brown-black shades with warm caramel highlights resulting from the firing process, as well as traces of use consistent with its original function.

Today, this jar fits perfectly in an interior or a sheltered outdoor space, where its presence and scale make it a defining structural element.

A series of jars from the Claude de Marteau collection.