The central medallion of the dish features five deer amid a rocky landscape. This is a representative example of Kraak porcelain which is distinguished by a thinly potted body and a decorative scheme divided into rectangular panels containing freely drawn figures and scenes. The term ‘Kraak’ was probably derived from the word ‘carrack’ referring to a type of Portuguese trading vessel. It might have also come from the Dutch word kraken which means ‘to break’ or the name for a style of shelves used for porcelain display in Dutch homes.
