Noted for their refined bodies and elegant shapes, porcelains made during the reigns of the Xuande (1426-1435) and Chenghua (1465-1487) emperors of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) are ranked among the finest examples of imperial Chinese wares. Many of the characteristics of 15th-century porcelains result from increased imperial interest in ceramics. Ceramic production during this time--which was the near-exclusive domain of the imperial Jingdezhen kilns in Jiangxi Province--is noted for the development and refinement of techniques for making and decorating wares, experimentation with shapes and designs, and the widespread use of reign marks (inscriptions that identify the name of the dynasty and the reign name of an emperor).
A six-character Xuande mark is written on the exterior base of this elegant bowl. The decoration, painted in underglaze blue on the interior and exterior, illustrates a theme common in Xuande-era porcelains: the combination of flowers and fruits, sometimes as symbols of the four seasons or the twelve months. Three lotuses and a chrysanthemum, a peony, and a camellia spray are painted around the interior of this bowl, while an unidentified flowering branch is at the center. Litchi, peach, loquat, pomegranate, grape, camellia, cherry, and chrysanthemum sprays decorate the exterior. The delicate sense of vitality of these fruits and flowers as well as the ease of their careful placement over the surface of the bowl, giving the design a subtle sense of movement and naturalness, characterize the decoration of porcelains during the Xuande era and help to distinguish pieces like this from earlier examples.
cxd
Noted for their refined bodies and elegant shapes, porcelains made during the reigns of the Xuande (1426-1435) and Chenghua (1465-1487) emperors of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) are ranked among the finest examples of imperial Chinese wares. Many of the characteristics of 15th-century porcelains result from increased imperial interest in ceramics. Ceramic production during this time--which was the near-exclusive domain of the imperial Jingdezhen kilns in Jiangxi Province--is noted for the development and refinement of techniques for making and decorating wares, experimentation with shapes and designs, and the widespread use of reign marks (inscriptions that identify the name of the dynasty and the reign name of an emperor).<P>A six-character Xuande mark is written on the exterior base of this elegant bowl. The decoration, painted in underglaze blue on the interior and exterior, illustrates a theme common in Xuande-era porcelains: the combination of flowers and fruits, sometimes as symbols of the four seasons or the twelve months. Three lotuses and a chrysanthemum, a peony, and a camellia spray are painted around the interior of this bowl, while an unidentified flowering branch is at the center. Litchi, peach, loquat, pomegranate, grape, camellia, cherry, and chrysanthemum sprays decorate the exterior. The delicate sense of vitality of these fruits and flowers as well as the ease of their careful placement over the surface of the bowl, giving the design a subtle sense of movement and naturalness, characterize the decoration of porcelains during the Xuande era and help to distinguish pieces like this from earlier examples.</P>
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