This heavily potted porcelain dish is covered in a dark blue undergalze decoration. The dish is adorned with auspicious motifs of longevity such 'lingzhi' clouds that alternate with cranes in the cavetto. The pearl in the centre is perhaps best known as the representation of knowledge or wisdom that is pursued by the dragon and is usually depicted on imperial objects. The painting appears to be stiff and crude.Wares such this example illustrate the turbulent period of the transition from Ming to Qing rule at the end of the 17th century. A period that was marked by the collapse of the imperial kilns, growing domestic interest in literary subjects and the customisation of private kilns for new markets.
