Bowl with children in a garden, Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Jiajing mark and period (1522–66). Porcelain painted in underglaze cobalt blue (Jingdezhen ware). H. 15.2 cm; Diam. of mouth 31.1 cm. New York The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Denise and Andrew Saul, 2001.738.

The theme of boys playing was popular in Chinese decorative arts, as demonstrated by this blue-and-white porcelain bowl. Unlike carving and weaving, brush painting on porcelain gives artists more freedom to represent a variety of children’s facial expressions: delighted, charming, and sometimes mischievous.