Chinese Ceramic Storage Vessel

An olive-green jar with the look of a pond at dusk.

This storage vessel was made in Shanxi Province, China, in pottery in the early 19th century. Large jars of this kind were commonly used for storing grain, liquids or preserved foods. The wide-shouldered body rises to a short neck and a flat, lipped mouth. The glaze is a dark olive-brown, thick and glossy on the lower half and thinner higher up.

About 21 inches tall. Heavy, handsome and weathered. Think of it as a floor sculpture with a shoulder.