Bowl

The bowl is complete. The bowl is circular in shape. In profile, the bowl has a slightly flared wall topped by a straight rim. The lower part of the wall is curved towards the bottom, which is flat. The bowl rests on a solid ring-shaped foot. There is an incised ring in the center of the bottom. There are defects in the paste of the inner wall. There are a few linear marks on the inner base; the decoration is painted on the glaze and applied by transfer printed; the painted decoration is gold and the printed decoration is blue with an oriental motif. The printed decoration is visible under the inner rim, on the inner base and on the outer wall. The decoration under the inner rim consists of a complex frieze made up of four different motifs, some of which are repeated alternately. Under the rim is a braid made of a row of small pearls in reserve, with a core. This is followed by a band composed of two alternating motifs, separated by a third, which is a short hatched band adorned with two half-flowers in reserve. One of the motifs consists of a latticework area with a central cross; the latticework is bordered by an acanthus leaf in reserve, adorned with fine lines, and in the center of the latticework is a geometric motif with an edge in reserve, the Chinese Ju-i. The other motif is composed of two rows of pearls with a central dot, with a half-flower in reserve at the top; it too is bordered by an acanthus leaf in reserve, decorated with fine lines, beyond which a scroll encircles rows of lozenges trimmed with off-center dots. Beneath this motif is a butterfly with outstretched wings. On either side of the butterfly is a flower with a leafy, flowering stem. On either side of these flowers is a small lattice segment flanked by a scroll. Between two of these scrolls, in the center, are two grecques, each bordered by a pearl scroll followed by a cluster of pearls. The background is decorated with a rock rising out of the water, decorated with leaves and flowers; birds fly over the rock. On the outer wall are two different oriental scenes. One scene features a partly hatched river, a hatched island and a bridge. On the island, in the foreground, there are several pavilions, one with the shadow of a figure in the doorway; they are surrounded by trees and flown over by birds. In the foreground is a small boat with sail and a single-arched bridge, on which two figures are standing, facing each other. The other scene features an island with two tiered pagodas, one with a staircase, surrounded by numerous trees and birds. The décor is clearly rendered. The junction of the frieze under the inner rim is visible, as is that of the two scenes on the outer wall. There are traces of gilding on the top of the rim, as well as under the rim, both inside and out.