Chinese Ceramic Vessel

A big brown jar with one thing to say, and a deep voice to say it.

Potters in Shanxi Province, China, made this vessel in pottery in the early 19th century. Large storage jars of this kind were commonly used in households for grain, liquids and preserves. The body is a tall oval, rounded at the shoulder, with a short neck and a rolled lip. Fine ridges mark the shoulder. The surface is a smoky olive-brown, glossy in some places and dull in others, with soft scuffs and traces of wear down the sides.

About 36 inches tall and 25 inches wide. Fill it with branches or leave it empty and imposing.