Reference (Decoration):
1. Department of Cultural Affairs in Beijing City ed. ¡§Large dish with decoration of plantain leaves, stones, and molded peony scrolls¡¨ Chinese Treasure in Topkapi Palace - Chinese Expert Research on Turkish Blue and White Porcelains from Yuan Dynasty, Beijing: Beijing Yan-shan, Oct. 2003, p.185.
The ware form of underglaze-blue porcelains in Yuan dynasty presented features of large shape, thick clay, and heavy body. There were generally three kinds of dishes, including cavetto-shaped dish, everted-rim dish, and foliated-rim dish.
This ware was foliated-rim dish, which shaped sixteen-lobed rim. The number of the lobes varied as thirteen, fourteen, or seventeen.
From the rim to the center, the dish was embellished with decoration of billows and incised peony. In the center, there was a lion lingering in the garden to abound in a natural and vivid tang.
Bluish white glaze emphasized gorgeous underglaze-blue and carried black spots on the surface, which was the feature of imported pigment. The white glaze presented sleekness and luster.
Reference (Description of Ware form):
1. Ma, Xi-gui. ¡§Dish¡¨ Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, Shanghai: Shanghai Gu Ji, 1999, p.35.
Reference (Decoration):
1. Department of Cultural Affairs in Beijing City ed. ¡§Large dish with decoration of plantain leaves, stones, and molded peony scrolls¡¨ Chinese Treasure in Topkapi Palace - Chinese Expert Research on Turkish Blue and White Porcelains from Yuan Dynasty, Beijing: Beijing Yan-shan, Oct. 2003, p.185.
The central decoration of the dish was focused on lion and ornaments with stone, bamboo and plantain leaves, gourd leaves, flowers, fruits, and so on.
Decoration of bamboo leaves in Yuan dynasty had features of upward and wide leaves. The decoration of gourd leaves was also the distinguished drawing in Yuan dynasty.
Reference (Description of decoration):
1. Li, Hui-bing. ¡§Decoration of bamboo leaves¡¨ Appraisement Foundations of Chinese Porcelain, Beijing: Forbidden City, 2001, p.202.
Reference (Decoration):
1. Ma, Xi-gui. ¡§Figure 66: Dish with underglaze-blue decoration of garden lion¡¨ Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, Shanghai: Shanghai Gu Ji, 1999, p.58.
Pigment with dense underglaze-blue color presented blackish blue and exquisite lines. Iron rust spots were embedded into clay and reflect silver color at thick pigment area. Different shades of color display vivid scene.
Reference (Description of pigment):
1. Li, Hui-bing. Appraisement Foundations of Chinese Porcelain, Beijing: Forbidden City, 2001, p.223-224.
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Reference (Decoration):
1. Ma, Xi-gui. ¡§Figure 27: Foliated dish with underglaze-blue decoration of stones, flowers, and fruits.¡¨ ¡§Figure 28: cavetto-shaped dish with underglaze-blue decoration of flying phoenix, flowers, and plants¡¨ Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, Shanghai: Shanghai Gu Ji, 1999, p.34.
2. Li, Hui-bing. ¡§Figure 458: Underglaze-blue Meip¡¦ing vase in Yuan dynasty¡¨ Appraisement Foundations of Chinese Porcelain, Beijing: Forbidden City, 2001, p.266.
This dish had larger body and uneven surface.
Decoration of peony was adorned with multi-layered petals and contour of small petals. The leaves were big and regular in the shape of hands. The decoration of lotus leaves shaped like gourds and belonged to representative decoration in Yuan dynasty.
Reference (Description of decoration):
1. Ma, Xi-gui. ¡§Decoration of lotus scrolls¡¨, ¡§Decoration of ¡§peony¡¨, Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, Shanghai: Shanghai Gu Ji, p.43, 48.
The exterior wall of the large dish was beatified with lotus scrolls.
The exterior of foot ring was unglazed and pared. The unglazed bottom contained sands, clear scraping mark, and ending point of paring.
Reference (Description of clay):
1. Zhang, Pu-sheng. Blue and White Porcelain Appraisement, Beijing: Beijing Library, Jan. 1995, p.48-49.
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Imported pigment used in underglaze-blue porcelains presented dense and gorgeous color with indigo tone in various shades. Several blackish or greenish brown iron rust spots reflected silver color.
Reference (Description of pigment):
1. Li, Hui-bing. Appraisement Foundations of Chinese Porcelain, Beijing: Forbidden City, 2001, p.223-224.
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Loose clay demonstrated clear granulated air bubbles on ware bottom and contained some black sesame spots on account of iron element in clay.
Reference (Description of clay):
1. Liu, Ru-shui. Appreciation of China, 2nd Ed, Taipei: Shuchuan, Aug. 2004, p.85.
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