Page 80 - Kraak Porcelain, Jorge Welsh

59 Bowl
Ming dynasty, Chongzhen
period ( - )
Chinese porcelain decorated
in underglaze cobalt blue
Height: . cm;
diameter: . cm (maximum)
A large, heavily potted and slightly warped bowl with
deep rounded sides, slightly foliated rim and a thick
tapering foot ring. It is decorated in deep shades of cobalt pomegranates and other flowers with sti leaves. A border
blue beneath a brilliant blue-tinged glaze. Inside it is
decorated with a central medallion enclosing a narrative
scene depicting a Chinese lady dressed in long robes
seated on a stool spooling silk beside a flowering plant in a coarse sand from the kiln adheres to areas of the foot ring.
pavilion, all enclosed within a continuous border of white
scrolls reserved on a blue ground. The rounded sides are
divided into six wide and narrow radiating panels. The
wide lappet-shaped panels are delicately painted with
narrative scenes, two depicting a Chinese o cial and a
lady standing on a river bank with houses of European
style in the distance, and the other depicting Chinese men
standing between European style houses and a rowing
boat. These alternate with panels of upright sprays of
stylized tulips, pomegranates and other stylized flowers
with undulating foliage, all framed by narrow borders
of scrolls and leaves. The narrow panels are variously
painted with stylized carnations, tulips and other flowers
with sti leaves. The motifs are all painted with fine lines
and contrasting washes of paint. The outside is similarly
divided into six wide and narrow panels. The wide panels
are sub-divided into bracket-lobed panels finely painted
with various narrative scenes depicting Chinese figures,
houses in European style, rowing boats and swimming
ducks, and are framed on three sides by narrow scroll
borders. Each panel is surmounted at the top by a
stylized flower with scrolling foliage. The narrow panels
are painted with alternating stylized sprays of tulips,
of scrolling flowers and leaves encircles the foot ring. The
recessed base is slightly convex, is marked by concentric
lines and is fully glazed. The foot ring is unglazed. Dark,
This bowl, as the example discussed in entry no. ,
belongs to a group of bowls and dishes (see the example
discussed in entry no. ) that have a design composition
that combines the typical kraak panelled border with
narrative scenes depicting figures in landscapes and
stylized flowers in Transitional style. The bowls are
usually large and heavily potted, ranging from about
to cm in diameter. The painted decoration, using thin
blue outlines and carefully applied brushes of blue in
contrasting shades within the outlined motifs, appears
to be more carefully executed than that of the dishes of
this group.
The central medallions of this type of bowl may be
painted with a variety of narrative scenes depicting
Chinese figures in landscapes or interior settings, as
seen in the bowl discussed in entry no. and the
present example respectively, or with river landscapes
with figures, houses, boats and swimming ducks. The
central medallions are encircled by a continuous border
of stylized flower scrolls, overlapping semi-circles and