A large blue and white porcelain jar of ovoid form with a short upright neck and broad shoulders tapering to the foot. The neck has a lattice band and the shoulder a band of peony scrolls. On the body, two large barbed cartouches are set in a ground of peonies and leafy scrolling stems. One shows a bearded warrior in a tall hat riding a galloping horse, a sword raised in his hand, among pines, grasses and ferns. The other shows a court scene: an official seated in a chair beneath a curtained canopy, two attendants holding staffs, and a kneeling figure, stripped to the waist, with his hands bound behind his back.
Round the foot runs a band of upright panels, each enclosing a cloud motif above two dots. The blue is bright and strong, and the glaze shows a fine crackle. The base is flat and unglazed, showing a pale body with orange patches and concentric turning rings. More on the period is on our Ming dynasty page.
Learn more: The Ming Dynasty
