About the Art


Presenting Liu Hao, Master Ceramicist
and the revived Black Ceramic
Art of the Longshan Culture
(with modern variations)

Black ceramic vessels are the most typical objects excavated at the site of Longshan culture in Shandong Province, China. The Longshan culture formed in the Late Neolithic Age, 4500 - 5000 years ago, and the refinement of it's ceramic arts, "black, thin and lustrous", surprised the archaeological community when first discovered at the end of the 1920's.

The black ceramics developed from simple household implements and, in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC) and the Warring States Period (403 - 211 BC), reached, with astounding sophistication, to the status of precious works of art. They were symbols of fortune and elegance and were prized by nobles and scholars alike.

The ancient technique, lost for more than 2,000 years, has been revived by renowned master ceramic artist, Liu Hao, who has improvised on traditional themes and forms to create a balanced synthesis of the classic and the modern. His works are found in the China National Art Museum and many of the world’s best collections, and given as treasured gifts by Chinese leaders.

Black like ink
Bright like mirror
Thin like paper
Sound like bell

Pure and fine clay from a unique deposit in the Yellow River is thrown on a potter's wheel, allowed to dry, dry turned, polished, carved, and polished again - all by hand. The pieces are fired in a traditional wood kiln at 800 C for two days, often with high loss. The black color is not a glaze but comes from an oxide added in the firing – as was done by the Longshan.

While Liu Hao fashions monumental museum pieces, his studio artisans, many in training for over a decade, reproduce some of his selected designs in limited series and it is these that we are privileged to offer.

For information on unique pieces, please contact us. See also special commissions.