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

The design of the present bowl is more characteristic of one of the southern white ware (qingbai) kilns, and the piece appears to represent a southern copy of northern celadon ware. Related northern wares of this fairly rough type generally show an unglazed ring rather than spur marks inside.

The bowl has straight conical sides, steeply angled and slightly inturned at the rim, and a straight foot with low footring. The lip is emphasized by an incised line inside. The inside is moulded with a dense peony scroll with two boys holding on to the scrolling branches and floating among the leaves. The two large blooms and leaves have combed details, and the design is enclosed by a thin classic scroll border. The uppermost band at the rim, and the outside are plain, the light buff-coloured body is covered with an olive-brown glaze, applied in two layers. The base, foot and lowest part of the sides are unglazed. In the centre inside the glaze shows five large rough spur marks.