This bowl is an example of the good quality blue and white porcelain produced during the reign of the Ming emperor Xuande (1425-35). The decoration, consisting of two dragons flying among clouds, was painted in cobalt blue on the plain porcelain body before the application of a transparent glaze. In the post-war decades western collectors' taste in Chinese ceramics shifted towards blue and white porcelain produced in the 14th and 15th century, the time of the Yuan and early Ming dynasties. This bowl, which came to the museum in 1951, has many of the characteristics that would have pleased a collector of Chinese ceramics: it is in good condition and of demonstrable 'imperial quality'. Its form and decorative style, and the presence of an imperial reign mark painted on its surface, are the key factors by which this bowl can be identified as a product of the imperial porcelain factory for court use. Physical description Porcelain bowl painted in underglaze blue with two five-clawed dragons among clouds, set between a wave border along the rim and a decorative band on the bottom part. The internal surface is plain except for the six characters of Xuande reign mark within a double ring. Place of Origin China (made) Date 1426-1435 (made) Artist/maker Unknown Materials and Techniques Porcelain, painted in underglaze blue Marks and inscriptions 'Da ming xuan de nian zhi' on base Made during the Xuande reign Dimensions Diameter: 27 cm Descriptive line Xuande dice bowl; Cer, China, Ming, blue and white Labels and date Bowl with dragon design Xuande reign period (1426-1435) Xuande mark on base Jingdezhen kilns, south China Porcelain painted in cobalt blue Museum no. C.310-1951 [2007] Materials Porcelain Techniques Painted Subjects depicted Dragons Categories Porcelain; Ceramics Collection East Asia Collection
This bowl is an example of the good quality blue and white porcelain produced during the reign of the Ming emperor Xuande (1425-35). The decoration, consisting of two dragons flying among clouds, was painted in cobalt blue on the plain porcelain body before the application of a transparent glaze. In the post-war decades western collectors' taste in Chinese ceramics shifted towards blue and white porcelain produced in the 14th and 15th century, the time of the Yuan and early Ming dynasties. This bowl, which came to the museum in 1951, has many of the characteristics that would have pleased a collector of Chinese ceramics: it is in good condition and of demonstrable 'imperial quality'. Its form and decorative style, and the presence of an imperial reign mark painted on its surface, are the key factors by which this bowl can be identified as a product of the imperial porcelain factory for court use. Physical description Porcelain bowl painted in underglaze blue with two five-clawed dragons among clouds, set between a wave border along the rim and a decorative band on the bottom part. The internal surface is plain except for the six characters of Xuande reign mark within a double ring. Place of Origin China (made) Date 1426-1435 (made) Artist/maker Unknown Materials and Techniques Porcelain, painted in underglaze blue Marks and inscriptions 'Da ming xuan de nian zhi' on base Made during the Xuande reign Dimensions Diameter: 27 cm Descriptive line Xuande dice bowl; Cer, China, Ming, blue and white Labels and date Bowl with dragon design Xuande reign period (1426-1435) Xuande mark on base Jingdezhen kilns, south China Porcelain painted in cobalt blue Museum no. C.310-1951 [2007] Materials Porcelain Techniques Painted Subjects depicted Dragons Categories Porcelain; Ceramics Collection East Asia Collection