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

The tall ovoid vase has an almond-shaped profile, a short narrow neck with everted rim (replaced and not of the original form), and a recessed base with broad footring. The piece is thickly covered with white slip through which the decoration has been carved down to the body to create a contrasting white-and-grey effect under an overall milky transparent glaze. The upper half is boldly decorated with two large peony blooms between scrolling foliage in a wide band around the shoulder, and a narrow band of pendant petals below the plain neck, all reserved in white slip, with incised and stippled details. The lower half is incised with two further bands of design, one of upright petals with incised and ring-stamped details, the other of spiralling lappets, both on a ring-punched ground, with a plain band below. The glaze has a greenish tinge and a fine crackle and leaves the lowest part of the sides free, but the base is both slipped and glazed.