Lidded porcelain jar with underglaze blue decoration

This porcelain jar is paired with a lid. The jar has an upright lip and a body with sloped shoulders and a flat belly, tapering abruptly towards the base in the lowest section. The jar rests on a foot which slightly undercuts the body. The shoulders are decorated with a simple grass or leaf design painted in underglaze cobalt blue of a light tone. A crackled glaze covers the surface of the jar, except the upper surface of the lip. Patchy marks are visible in the glaze on the outer surface, probably caused accidentally by the potter’s fingers. Impressed finger marks can be seen at the shoulder of the jar. The surface is stained and has traces of residues, especially in the cracks on the interior. The footrim has been wiped free of glaze and bears the remains of kiln sand.
The lid has a flat top and rounded edge. A vertical flange on the inside keeps the lid in place. The exterior surface is coated with a bluish tinged glaze. The interior surface of the lid is unglazed. The body material and glaze of the lid appear very differently from those of the jar, which has a greyish, dull surface.
This jar probably served as an everyday container for condiments such as pickled foodstuffs or sauces.