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