Nine-Coloured Deer Jun Sculpture

The Nine-Coloured Deer (九色鹿) is a 33 cm Jun porcelain sculpture from Shenhou, named after the jataka deer of the Dunhuang Mogao cave murals.

The deer stands upright with branching antlers above a pale, cloud-like base. The purple-pink transmutation glaze is what gives the piece its “nine colours”; no two firings land on the same range.

Kiln transmutation: why no two pieces are alike

Jun ware (钧瓷) is one of the Five Great Kilns of the Song dynasty, named alongside Ru, Guan, Ge and Ding. It is still fired at Shenhou, the kiln town in Yuzhou, Henan that has produced it for roughly a thousand years. A Jun glaze is not painted on: copper and iron oxides suspended in the glaze re-form during firing, and the colour that emerges depends on the temperature, the kiln atmosphere and where the piece happened to stand. Potters sum it up as 入窑一色，出窑万彩 — one colour goes into the kiln, ten thousand come out.

That is also why the piece you receive will not match the photographs exactly. In the maker’s own words, differences in colour and pattern between pieces are natural kiln transmutation (窑变), not a fault.

Specifications

All dimensions are the supplier’s own hand measurements and can vary by about 1 cm.

Care

These instructions are translated from the maker’s own care sheet. Dust with a soft, dry cotton cloth, and use a soft brush for relief work and recessed areas. If you need a damp cloth, dry the piece immediately afterwards.

Keep it out of damp rooms and out of direct sunlight — the maker notes that prolonged sunlight can shift Jun glaze colour. For storage, wrap the piece in cotton and keep it in a dust box somewhere dry and ventilated. Always carry it with two hands, supporting the base. Use only a mild porcelain cleaner, never a corrosive one.

Frequently asked questions

Will the glaze look exactly like the photographs?

No, and it is not meant to. Jun glaze colour is created by kiln transmutation (窑变) rather than painted on, so every firing lands somewhere different. The maker states plainly that differences in colour and pattern between pieces are a natural result of the process and not a quality fault. The photographs show the piece the supplier fired; yours will be recognisably the same object in a glaze of its own.

What is Jun porcelain?

Jun ware (钧瓷) is one of the Five Great Kilns of the Song dynasty, alongside Ru, Guan, Ge and Ding. It is defined by a thick, opalescent glaze containing copper and iron that re-forms in the kiln into blues, purples and reds. It has been fired at Shenhou in Yuzhou, Henan for roughly a thousand years, and this piece is made there.

What size is it?

The supplier gives it as 25 × 22 × 33 cm. These are the maker’s own hand measurements, so allow about a centimetre either way.

How do I look after it?

Dust with a soft dry cotton cloth and use a soft brush on relief work. If you use a damp cloth, dry the piece straight afterwards. Keep it out of damp rooms and out of direct sunlight — the maker notes prolonged sunlight can shift Jun glaze colour. Carry it with two hands, supporting the base, and store it wrapped in cotton in a dry place.

Where is it made?

At Shenhou, Yuzhou, Henan, China. Shenhou is the kiln town in Yuzhou that Jun ware has been fired in since the Song dynasty; it is still where the kilns are.

Explore

The Jun porcelain series · Jun porcelain art & collectibles

Related pieces: Beihong Horse Jun Sculpture · Auspicious Horse Jun Vase