Happy Clay (Ni Yue)

This exquisite ceramic piece is crafted using traditional hand-throwing shaping techniques followed by a meticulous multi-stage firing process. It is first fired at a high-temperature reduction flame of 1,330 degrees Celsius, after which pure gold is hand-painted along the flowing body lines and fired again at 800 degrees Celsius.

The vessel features a distinctive jar lid topped with a fine dragon pillar finial, designed to echo and complement the radiant gold lines sweeping across the dark body. Featuring the work of master ceramicist Runhui Xu. The original iteration of this masterwork was acquired by the Chester Beatty Library & Museum in Dublin, Ireland, in September 2014.

About the Artist:

Runhui Xu is an accomplished contemporary ceramic artist and Tsinghua University graduate who has maintained an independent professional studio since 2010 and currently lives and works in the United States. Internationally recognized for bridging traditional heritage with modern design, he has been a member of the UNESCO International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) since 2015 and the China Artists Association since 2023, with career honors including an Excellence Award at Shanghai's National Youth Art Exhibition and a Bronze Award at the 1895 Chinese Contemporary Arts & Crafts Series Exhibition. His work has been featured in prestigious exhibitions across China, Europe, South Korea, and the U.S., and is widely collected by esteemed institutions such as the Tsinghua University Art Museum, the Chester Beatty Library & Museum in Dublin, and the Shandong Art Museum.