The University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG) of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) will present Glazed and Fired: Celadon Ceramics from the UMAG Collection from July 23, 2021 to November 7, 2021.

Pre-dating the Neolithic period, ceramic wares are some of the earliest man-made objects to integrate science, technology and the arts. A close examination of ceramics can reveal the creative advances of individuals in various cultures and time periods, and reflect a society’s broader development and technical progress.

With a long history of innovation and craftsmanship, celadon wares have provided a crucial reference point for the study of ceramic production in China. The term ‘celadon’ historically refers to specific types of ceramics coated with a green-coloured glaze.

Constant advances in raw material selection, firing techniques and the shaping of forms have enabled celadon ceramics to develop continuously over the past two millennia. The UMAG collection of celadon spans a period of more than fifteen hundred years of celadon’s history, from the early lead-glazed pottery of the Han (202 BCE–220 CE) to the stunning Guan wares of the Song dynasty (960–1279 CE), providing a rich overview of the traditions and transitions of these widely-coveted objects.