A blue and white conical cup – Transitional Period
The cup stands on a broad foot ring with straight everted sides, decorated in underglaze blue, the interior is of a flower but surrounding this and repeated around the inner rim is a border of spirals with simple five petalled flowers and chrysanthemums. The exterior of the bowl is painted with several vignettes incorporating scholars. One shows a scholar painting characters on a rock observed by a companion; the same character is depicted in a separate scene playing chess with another scholar, and again in the final scene the same two men are painted in conversation, this time one of the scholars is holding a fan.
Period: Tianqi/Chongzhen (1635-1650)
Size: Diameter 10.1 cm, height 5.5 cm
Condition: Very good condition, minor wear and firing flaws, Some retouched fritting to the mouth rim. No cracks found under UV-light.
Provenance: From a Swedish private collection
SKU: 224
References: A similar pair of bowls, but decorated to the centre with an apocryphal four character Yongle mark are described in 'Catalogue of the late Yuan and Ming Ceramics in the British Museum' by Harrison- Hall, Item No: 12:38 &12:39, both donated by Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks.
See also example in A Selection from the Collection of Oriental Ceramics, Christian J. A. Jorg; Item No 44. Page 72.
