This large dish features an interesting mix of European and Chinese motifs in overglaze red and green enamels. The sun motif in the central medallion is surrounded by images of European sailing ships, a leaping fish amidst aquatic plants and a landscape depicting an idealised rocky coastline sometimes referred to as the isles of the immortals. Around the inner wall of the dish, there are four ogival medallions with floral and bird motifs, separated by four round medallions with Chinese characters.Zhangzhou wares such as this were commonly known as ‘Swatow ware’ due to the erroneous belief that the ware was shipped out from the port of Zhantou (Swatow). These wares were mainly made for export to Japan and Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia. Chinese ceramics were highly prized in these places and were used extensively by the nobility and the elite as status symbols.
