Fritware bottle, painted in blue under a transparent glaze. Syria; beginning of 15th century. H: 28 cm. Inv. no. 29/1988. The David Collection. © THE DAVID COLLECTION

In around 1400, the blue and white pottery that was produced in the Middle East was almost completely under the influence of Chinese export porcelain with blue decoration. At times, the Syrian potters kept to a more Islamic ornamentation, but most often they transferred Chinese decoration to local forms. This pear-shaped bottle is quite an unusual example of Syrians not only copying a Chinese vine with a chrysanthemum, but also directly adopting a Chinese form. 

Bottles of this yuhuchun type are found on Timurid miniatures from the 15th century, but it was probably the coveted Chinese originals that were depicted.