This vase is adorned with a head portrait of Chinese traditional Shadow Play character using shadow carving technique.  Shadowplay is a traditional art form that uses leather puppet and a light source to project shadows of the puppet on a screen.  The performers manipulate the puppet and sing about the story in an operatic voice. 

The designer adopts the exaggerated expression and elegant lines used in Shadow Play, giving this portrait alluring appearance in slender eyebrow, fiery eyes, graceful headgear carved by relief carving technique, and lively face adorned with intaglio method. The head portrait carved on this piece of black pottery shows the face of Mu Guiying, a famous heroine in Chinese history.