Stemcup, porcelain with moulded and underglaze blue decoration of dragon designs, China, Yuan dynasty, 14th century. Height: 9.2 cm, Diameter: 11.4 cm. C.324&A-1916. Given by Lady Orchardson. © V&A Images.

Porcelain stemcup, bowl-shaped cup with everted rim, slightly spreading hollow stem with ridges to resemble a bamboo stem. Inside, moulded with two four-clawed dragons pursuing flaming pearls, and the character yu (jade); painted in underglaze blue in the centre with a flower spray, a tendril scroll border round the rim. Outside, one long three-clawed dragon pursuing a flaming pearl.

After 1300, Chinese potters at Jingdezhen began to decorate the local white porcelain in cobalt blue. They perfected the painting technique, so that the blue did not run during firing. Large dishes were made for export to the Middle East, where the cobalt for the blue had come from. Smaller items such as this stemcup was for the home market.

Marks and inscriptions: 'yu' moulded on the inside Jade

Bibliographic References: Ayers, John. Far Eastern Ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Sotheby Parke Bernet, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1980, Monochrome Plate No. 136