This dish is an example of Kraak porcelain, which is a unique type of export porcelain with the primary designs of panels. The central medallion is decorated with a floral scene in underglaze blue. Surrounding it on the inner walls are eight panels consisting of flowers and an auspicious symbols, separated by narrow panels. Such Kraak porcelain was produced from the Wanli reign (1573-1619) in the Ming dynasty till the early Qing dynasty. The term ‘Kraak’ is believed to originate from the Portuguese ships known as ‘Carracks’, in which the porcelain were transported in large quantities to Europe. Some scholars had also proposed that the origin of the term may be from the verb ‘kraken’, which in Dutch means ‘to break’, a common feature of the fragile Kraak wares.
