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 and outer surfaces are pale grey. The decoration covers the outer surface of the bowl, as well as the inner rim and base. The decoration is of the Chinese or Oriental garden type and is processed in Imari. 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 edge is traced in blue and outlined with a fillet. It is composed of two alternately repeated elements. One element is a vegetal motif traced and painted in red, bordered by two leaves traced and painted in blue with gold, and set between two arcs-de-cercle made of three curved lines, traced and painted in blue. The second element is a double latticework with spikes traced in blue. The inner base of the bowl is decorated with a leafy, flowering plant. The stem and some leaves are traced and painted in blue with gold highlights. The flower is outlined and painted in red, with gold highlights, while the leaves are painted and veined in red. Part of the decoration has been erased. On the outer wall, the decoration consists of a main scene seated on an undulating terrace traced in blue and painted in faded red, with grasslands traced in red. The central element is a large rock with a hole in it, symbolizing the Chinese philosophy of Taoism, traced and painted in blue with gold highlights; near its top, there is a rectangular, horizontal shape. Around the rock, leaves are traced and painted red. To the left is a leafy stem traced in blue, supporting a large flower traced and painted in red with gold. To the right is a fence with three vertical posts, traced and painted in blue with gilding; the panels are adorned with a swastika traced in red. Behind it, the same floral decoration is reproduced. The remaining part of the wall is occupied by three flowering stems, traced and painted in blue and red with gilding. The top of the bowl is covered with a very pale brown ferruginous coating.