Bowl

The bowl is complete. The bowl is circular in shape. In profile, it 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 foot, whose beveled base is free of glaze. There are slight flaws in the inner glaze. The inner base is covered with small curved marks; the decoration covers the outer face of the bowl, as well as the inner rim and base. The decoration is of the Imari-treated flower vase type. It is hand-painted in two-tone blue underglaze, then traced and painted in iron red, with gold highlights, over glaze. The braid under the inner rim is traced in blue and outlined with a fillet. It is composed of two alternately repeated elements. One element is a plant motif traced in blue and painted in red with gold, and bordered by two leaves traced and painted in red, which is set between two arcs made of a wide curved line, traced and painted in blue with gold. The second element is a double latticework with spikes traced in red. The inner base of the bowl is decorated with a leafy, flowering plant. The stem, as well as some leaves, are traced and painted in blue. The flower is traced and painted in red, while the leaves are painted and veined in red. On the outer wall, the decoration consists of two similar motifs on opposite sides. One of the motifs consists of a flowering vase: seated on a footed support traced and painted in red, it appears to be square in shape, with a wall flared upwards, a rounded shoulder, a cylindrical neck and a flared rim. It is traced and painted blue with gold highlights. Emerging from the vase, in the center, are a leaf traced and painted in red with gilding and a leaf painted and traced in blue; two long branches extend to the sides; traced and painted in blue, they are lined with leaves en suite, ribbed leaves traced in red and a flower traced and painted in red with gilding. Halfway up, the vase conceals a scroll with ribbon, traced and painted red. At the foot of the vase is a long horizontal stem, traced and painted blue, trimmed with ribbed leaves traced in red and, at its ends, a flower traced and painted red with gilding. The opposite wall features a circular dish with a concave rim and a flared foot traced and painted in blue with gilding, resting on a footed support traced and painted in red; the dish contains fruit, traced and painted in blue with gilding, and traced and painted in red with gilding. At the foot of the dish is a long horizontal stem traced and painted blue, which is trimmed with leaves traced and painted blue with gilding, stems traced red, ribbed leaves traced red and flowers traced and painted red with gilding. The top of the bowl is covered with a very pale brown ferruginous coating.