元　景德鎮窯青花蕉石花果紋大盤|Foliated plate with rocks, plants, and melons

Unknown

14th century · Porcelain painted with cobalt blue under transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware) · Asian Art

At the center of this plate is a scene of leafy plants, rocks, and melons surrounded by a ring of lotus scrolls. Such a vibrant and ordered composition sets the plate apart from the subtly hued monochrome glazes of Song ceramics. In the fourteenth century, potters at Jingdezhen mastered the technique of decorating porcelain with cobalt-blue pigment under a transparent glaze. The various blue hues and shading of the rocks here showcase the potter’s skill in the use of the brush.

Artist

Unknown

Date

14th century

Medium

Porcelain painted with cobalt blue under transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware)

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Stanley Herzman, in memory of Adele Herzman, 1991