Ashmolean Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

This dish shows the so-called ‘heaping and piling’ effect characteristic of the Yongle and Xuande (1426–1435) reigns, resulting from dark specks of cobalt which have burnt through the glaze. Although it is a flaw which the potters soon had under control, it was in the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) deliberately copied, since it was associated with these early wares, which have remained the most desirable blue-and-white porcelains to this day.

The deep dish has rounded sides and an everted rim. The foot is of V-shaped section. The piece is painted in a deep cobalt blue with a central grape vine bearing three large bunches of grapes among leaves, curling tendrils and whithered stems which do not bear fruit, the sides with a composite flower scroll consisting of morning glory, carnation, rose, chrysanthemum, pomegranate, hibiscus, lotus, camellia and other flowers and the rim with a powerful wave border of undulating lines alternating with eddies and reserved white crests. The outside shows a similar flower scroll including lingzhi, while the rim is plain. The unglazed foot and base have fired a light yellowish-beige tone. The base is inscribed in ink with an Arabic inscription in a delicate hand, and engraved with an owner’s mark in form of three pierced dots, which is repeated on the outside of the foot.