Tea bowl

The tea bowl is complete, with a slight chip on the rim. It is circular in shape. In profile, the bowl has a slightly flared wall topped by a plain rim. The lower part of the wall is curved towards the bottom, which is flat. The bowl rests on a solid ring-shaped foot. The outer rim of the foot is bevelled and free of glaze; the decoration covers the outer face of the bowl, as well as the inner 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 pearl traced and painted in red, bordered by two pearls traced and painted in blue, and set between pearls, traced and painted in blue. The second element is a double latticework traced in blue. The background is decorated with a small leafy stem traced and painted blue, topped by a flower traced and painted red. On the outer wall, the main decoration rests on a straight terrace traced in blue and painted in faded 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. To the left of the rock is a fence with a vertical post, traced and painted blue with gold; the panels are adorned with vertical lines traced in red. Behind the fence is a leafy stem traced in blue, supporting a large flower traced and painted in red with gilding, and surrounded by leaves traced and painted in blue with gilding, while the others are traced in red with veins. The same flower appears to the right of the rock, followed by a long wavy stem; some leaves are traced and painted blue with gilding, while the others are traced and painted red with veins, and some flowers are traced and painted blue, and others, red.