Dish with IHS monogram, armillary sphere, and Portuguese royal arms

Unknown

ca. 1520–40 · Hard-paste porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue decoration (Jingdezhen ware) · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

While the doglike lions illustrate a Chinese theme, the Portuguese coat of arms and the armillary sphere (a type of celestial globe) are often found on works made for Portugal in the early sixteenth century. The letters "I.H.S.," a well-known Latin reference to Jesus Christ, would later be adopted by the Jesuits (Society of Jesus founded in 1534) as a symbol for their order.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1520–40

Medium

Hard-paste porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue decoration (Jingdezhen ware)

Culture

Chinese, for Portuguese market

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Helena Woolworth McCann Collection, Purchase, Winfield Foundation Gift, 1967