Celadon Bowl

[kardinalisimo]

Not sure but I'm thinking Japanese? Looks like having some age but I could be wrong. Any help with the seals and writing?
Thanks

[Stan]

Hi Kardinalisimo, I recognize the Zan character usually used for Japanese names, sorry I could not find like Characters for the other marks, but I agree Japanese, im not sure about age but looks like 20th century.

[kardinalisimo]

Thanks Stan. I've been told the artist name is Baixi.
I just can't find a similar piece to compare with.

[peterp]

Baixi is the Chinese reading of the characters above the seal mark. It means "white river". As there is nothing else to be sure if it is a person's or place name.  Oval seal marks are more common in Japan. Overall, the painting is probably something of the 20th century.

[kardinalisimo]

Thanks Peter. My first thought of the oval seals was Japanese too. Although, you can see some on Chinese artwork.
The other thing, the base is a bit convex which is not commonly seen on Chinese pieces ( I think I learnt that from you sometime ago).
Well, I'll put it on the back burner, maybe I'll see something similar one day.

[peterp]

It will difficult to know what this is, unless you find a similar one.You cannot compare Qing dynasty shapes  or any shapes to something that is not of the same period. If that was Chinese, with that glaze and decoration, I would have to think not very old.
As a matter of fact, the Japanese and Chinese painting styles are very similar, especially in the 20th century, because this type of painting was originally Chinese, but was also widely used in Japan. The thing that looks Chinese to me is the base, but I think in that case it would have been from many centuries ago this way, not from within the recent hundred or so years. Painting style and bottom do just not add up, in my opinion.

[kardinalisimo]

I am not even sure is similar piece existed in the past. Have you seen a Chinese monochrome with underglaze drawing in literati style?
Otherwise, I feel like it has a bit of age but hard to pin down the period of production.
By the way, what is the unglazed center of the bottom?

[peterp]

There is no go with dating or deciding origin based on the motif or drawing style, both Japan and China still use this type of motif in paintings, today.
A round and an oval mark are more likely Japanese.
The sagging bottom could have touched something or (I'm guessing here) something was adhering to the unglazed clay at the deepest point of the bowl which then was over-glazed; it then evaporated in the heat of the kiln, leaving this area unglazed. Just a firing fault.