Perfect Form, Perfectly Spare Chinese Stoneware Ear Cup, c. 600 AD secretary though it almost appears as

though it almost appears as if that oval frame is part of the image itself

I have not amped up the color on this guy

adding another dimension

the delicacy of the painting on this little one

Perfect Form, Perfectly Spare Chinese Stoneware Ear Cup, c. 600 AD secretary though it almost appears asTo my eye the most perfectly minimal, perfectly proportioned shallow vessel, just what it needs to be and not a thing more, this is a very old Chinese "ear cup", c 600 AD, which I purchased from a collector, dealer and friend in Maine. Chinese ear cups, or 'erbei' in Chinese, are an ancient form, functional as vessels for drinking, but more broadly embodying Chinese philosophy, aesthetics, and social customs and exquisite craftsmanship. And indeed,