北朝笔记 vol.27 大都會博物館：戴潤齋六朝越窯鴞形水盂 - Met Museum, J.T.Tai Six Dynasties Yue Kiln Owl-Shape Waterpot

六朝時期的袖珍鴞形水盂較蛙形水盂罕見。鴞的造型流行於商代，鴞尊是商朝最為典型最為重要的禮器之一。鴞的母題在接下來的時代裡在不同的材質上重複出現，這件越窯青瓷水盂就是一個絕佳的例證。

越窯鴞形水盂

六朝 越窯

文化： 中國

材質： 灰釉石器（越窯）

尺寸： 高 7.8 厘米（3 1/16 英寸）；直徑 10 厘米（3 15/16 英寸）；口徑 3.2 厘米（1 1/4 英寸）

分類： 陶瓷

捐贈來源： 1962 年由 J. T. Tai & Co. Inc. 贈送

藏品編號： 62.35

來源： 直至 1962 年屬於 J. T. Tai & Co.（紐約），後捐贈給大都會藝術博物館

在中國藝術發展的長河中，鴞（即貓頭鷹）作為一個重要的圖騰母題，自商代以來便深深烙印在人們的審美與宗教觀念中。商代時期，鴞尊等禮器不僅在形式上造型獨特，更蘊含著祭祀、祈福與保護的象徵意涵，反映出當時人們對神秘力量與戰神護佑的追求。這種以鴞為原型的藝術表現，在隨後的歷代中持續發展，成為一個跨時代、跨材質的文化符號。

到了六朝時期，南方越窯青瓷的興盛標誌著中國制瓷技藝的一大高峰。越窯以其胎質細膩、釉色青灰而聞名，並在造型上不斷追求創新與傳統元素的融合。這件袖珍鴞形水盂正是將商代流行的鴞母題巧妙應用於青瓷器物上的典範。雖然六朝時期相較於常見的蛙形水盂，鴞形水盂較為罕見，但正因其稀有性，更凸顯出這一圖騰在藝術家心中的特殊地位與文化意涵。

這件越窯青瓷水盂，高7.8厘米、直徑10厘米，以灰釉石器精製而成，其造型生動靈巧，既保留了商代鴞形禮器的莊重神秘，又融入了六朝青瓷獨有的雅緻氣息。它不僅是一件實用器物，更是一個跨越時空的文化載體，見證了古代藝術家如何從商代的傳統中汲取靈感，並在南北文化交流中創造出全新的審美形式。通過這件作品，我們可以窺見古人對天地、神祇以及自然界奧秘的無限敬畏與熱愛，並感受到那份跨越千年的藝術傳承與精神共鳴。

Owl-Shape Waterpot

Six Dynasties

Yue Kiln

Culture: China

Medium: Gray stoneware (Yue ware)

Dimensions: H. 3 1/16 in. (7.8 cm); Diam. 3 15/16 in. (10 cm); Diam of rim 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm)

Classification: Ceramics

Credit Line: Gift of J. T. Tai & Co. Inc., 1962

Object Number: 62.35

Provenance: J. T. Tai & Co. , New York (until 1962; donated to MMA)

In the long course of Chinese art development, the owl—as an important totemic motif—has been deeply imprinted in people’s aesthetic and religious concepts since the Shang Dynasty. During that period, ritual objects such as the owl zun not only featured unique forms but also embodied symbolic meanings of sacrifice, blessing, and protection, reflecting the contemporary pursuit of mysterious forces and the safeguarding power of war deities. This artistic expression based on the owl motif continued to evolve through subsequent dynasties, eventually becoming a cross-era and cross-material cultural symbol.

By the time of the Six Dynasties, the flourishing of Southern Yue ware celadon marked a significant peak in Chinese ceramic craftsmanship. Yue ware is renowned for its delicate body and blue-gray glaze and for its continuous pursuit of innovation by fusing traditional elements with new creative expressions. This miniature owl-shaped waterpot is an exemplary case of how the popular Shang-era owl motif was ingeniously applied to celadon ceramics. Although owl-shaped waterpots are relatively rare compared to the more common frog-shaped ones during the Six Dynasties, their scarcity further accentuates the unique status and cultural significance of this motif in the minds of the artists.

Measuring 7.8 centimeters in height and 10 centimeters in diameter, this Yue ware celadon waterpot is crafted from gray-glazed stoneware. Its lively and nimble form not only preserves the solemn mystery of Shang owl-shaped ritual objects but also incorporates the refined charm characteristic of Six Dynasties celadon. More than just a utilitarian object, it serves as a cultural carrier spanning time and space—testifying to how ancient artists drew inspiration from Shang traditions and, through cultural exchanges between the north and south, created entirely new aesthetic forms. Through this work, we can glimpse the ancient people’s infinite awe and affection for the mysteries of heaven, deities, and nature, and feel the enduring artistic legacy and spiritual resonance that transcends millennia.