Teapot

Ch'u Ying-shao (active early 19th c.), a chu-sheng degree holder, is known for his orchid and bamboo paintings, poetry, seal carving, and calligraphy. He was particularly interested in old bronze and stone inscriptions and in making and inscribing I-hsing teapots. This compact vessel, in the shape of an old stone weight with a short, straight spout, has a curved handle, flat lid, and a thirteen character hsing hsu poem by Ch'u inscribed on one side. There is an impressed, square makers seal at the center of the base. The rich, dark clay has been grogged with stoneware to create a rough, pear-skin texture, approximating patinated iron.