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. The decoration covers the outside of the bowl, as well as the inside rim and bottom. The decoration is of the Chinese or Oriental garden type and is treated 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 plant motif bordered by two leaves, traced and painted in red, and 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 drawn in red. The inner base of the bowl is decorated with a leafy, flowering plant. The stem and leaves are outlined and painted in blue, while the flower is outlined and painted in red. On the outer wall, the decoration consists of a main scene whose central element is a rock with holes, symbolizing the Chinese philosophy of Taoism, traced and painted in blue with gold highlights. On either side of the rock, there are two large flowers traced and painted in red with gilding, as well as two long leafy stems traced and painted in blue, most of the leaves being traced and painted in red, although a few are in blue with gilding. The remaining part of the wall is occupied by a flower similar to the one painted on the inner background. The top of the bowl is covered with a brown-painted ferruginous plaster.