A RARE LATE MING WUCAI AND UNDERGLAZE-BLUE 'DRAGON' BOWL

Details

A RARE LATE MING WUCAI AND UNDERGLAZE-BLUE 'DRAGON' BOWL
WANLI SIX-CHARACTER MARK WITHIN DOUBLE-CIRCLES AND OF THE PERIOD (1573-1619)

With steeply rounded sides, the exterior painted in underglaze-blue and enamelled with a green and an iron-red dragon, both in mutual pursuit of 'flaming pearls' above rocks and breaking waves, the interior with a blue and white central medallion of ascending and descending dragons, and a broad band below the mouth rim of mythical beasts and fish emerging from and disappearing into swirling waves (tiny rim nick)
5 1/8 in. (13 cm.) diam., box

Lot Essay

The combined decoration of polychrome on the exterior and underglaze-blue on the interior is very rare. Compare with a cup decorated with enamelled dragons on the exterior and predominantly blue and white on the interior, illustrated in Sekai Toji Zenshu, vol. 14, Japan, 1976, pls. 200 and 201.

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