Page 44 - Kraak Porcelain, Jorge Welsh

18 Bottle

Ming dynasty
Wanli period ( - )
ca. -
Chinese porcelain decorated
in underglaze cobalt blue
Height: cm; maximum
diameter: cm

A heavy and thickly potted bottle modelled with a pear-
shaped body, a tall, tapering neck, a slightly flared mouth
with a rolled mouth rim and a low, thick, v-shaped foot
ring. The bottle is decorated in deep shades of cobalt
blue, darkening in some areas to a blackish blue, beneath
a blue-tinged glaze. The lower body is moulded with six
wide and narrow vertical panels. The wide panels are
decorated with flower sprays growing from rocks. The
narrow panels are decorated with vertical lines framed
by curved lines. The neck is decorated with six panels
enclosing pending strings of beads, jewels and tassels,
interrupted by a stylized ruyi-head border. A border of
stylized overlapping petals encircles the mouth rim. The
rim is edged in blue. All motifs are hastily painted with
thin lines and broad brushstrokes of cobalt blue. The
recessed base is slightly convex and glazed. The faceted
foot ring is unglazed. The interior of the neck is glazed.

See previous entry.