Page 62 - Kraak Porcelain, Jorge Welsh

41 Bowl

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

Fig. a A large and heavily potted bowl with rounded sides, a, b
Kraak bowl with underglaze slightly everted rim and a thick tapering foot ring. It is
blue and semi-pierced decorated in deep shades of cobalt blue, which darkens is a variation of the openwork carving known as linglong
linglong decoration bearing a in some areas to a blackish-blue, beneath a blue-tinged or guigong (devil’s work). Such bowls have been
Persian inscription glaze. Inside it is decorated with a central medallion traditionally classified as Transitional but their physical
Ming dynasty, Wanli period enclosing two ducks standing on a rock in a lotus pond, qualities, namely their body, glaze, painted decoration
( - ), ca. - all encircled by a double ring. The inner rim is painted and the fact that sand adheres from the kiln, would
Chinese porcelain decorated with a border of blue lotus and chrysanthemum flowers indicate that they are in fact kraak porcelain wares.
in underglaze cobalt blue reserved on a ground of delicately painted ferns with Shards with this semi-pierced lattice decoration, but
Diameter: . cm curling, feathery stems, all within blue lines. Around the probably belonging to small bowls with no underglaze
Private Collection outside are six roundels of blossoming chrysanthemum, blue decoration, were recovered from the wreck of the
bamboo and other foliage alternating with dragons with Dutch East Indiaman, the Mauritius ( ).
Fig. b sinewy bodies pursuing flaming pearls amidst clouds.
Kraak bowl with underglaze They are reserved on a semi-pierced geometrical ground This classification is further supported by a group
blue decoration bearing a with walls of interlacing slanting ribs forming Buddhist of five bowls of slightly earlier date, ca. - ,
Persian inscription swastikas within lozenges carved through the glaze into with a Persian inscription written in cursive script on
Ming dynasty, Wanli period the white biscuit body. The exterior decoration is framed
( - ), ca. - with a wide border of hexagonal diaper framing spindly
Chinese porcelain decorated flower-heads at the rim and a border ofruyi-heads above
in underglaze cobalt blue the foot ring. The rim of the bowl is unglazed. The recessed
Diameter: . cm base is fully glazed; the foot ring unglazed. Thick, coarse
Private Collection in London sand from the kiln adheres to some areas of the foot ring.

Although not immediately evident, this example
belongs to a rare and exceptional group of kraak
porcelain bowls decorated with a combination of
underglaze blue and semi-pierced lattice pattern
revealing the pinky-white biscuit body. This technique