Incense burner with figures in a landscape scene. Porcelain with underglaze cobalt-blue decoration. Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province 江西省, 景德鎮. Ming dynasty, about AD 1400–1500. On loan from Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art. PDF 676 © Trustees of the British Museum

Height: 59 mm. Diameter: 87 mm. Cylindrical porcelain incence jar on three cloud-shaped feet. There is a wave pattern in underglaze cobalt blue on the flat rim, a border of honeycomb diaper pattern with four panels, each containing a single character, and scenes of men in landscapes.

Above the band of decoration showing figures in a landscape are four characters which read 唐太宗 製 (Tang Taizong zhi ‘Made on the orders of Tang Taizong’ ) The Tang dynasty emperor Taizong ruled China from AD 626 to 649. He was considered to be one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history as he ruled China during one of her ‘Golden Ages’ .of economic prosperity and stability.

Bibliographic reference: Hobsob, Robert L, A Catalogue of Chinese Pottery and Porcelain in the Collection of Sir Percival David Bt., F.S.A., London, The Stourton Press, 1934

Medley, Margaret, Illustrated Catalogue of Underglaze Blue and Copper Red Decorated Porcelains, London, University of London, Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, School of Oriental and African Studies, 1976

Pierson, Stacey, Illustrated Catalogue of Underglaze Blue and Copper Red Decorated Porcelains in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, University of London, Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, School of Oriental and African Studies, 2004