This blue and white dish is decorated with four peach sprays in cavetto and double lines around centre. The central motif consists of a dragon amidst waves.The production of blue and white ware in large quantities started during the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) for the Middle Eastern market. By the Ming (1368-1644), blue and white wares were produced for the emperor, domestic consumption and for export to many places such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Europe. The late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries saw the deterioration in the quality of Ming porcelain due to huge demands from the imperial court as well as from export trade. Little experimentation occurred during this period.
