Bowl with stylised lotus flowers. Stoneware, porcelain-type, with carved decoration and celadon glaze. Longquan ware 龍泉窯. Longquan region, Zhejiang province 浙江省, 龍泉地區. Ming dynasty, about AD 1403–1435. On loan from Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art. PDF 224 © Trustees of the British Museum

Height: 85 mm. Diameter: 190 mm. Longquan stoneware bowl with everted rim. The bowl has grey-green glaze. There is a 'split lotus' scroll carved on the interior and exterior, and a band of scroll panels around the foot.

Potters carved this bowl inside and out with a design of stylised lotus flower scroll. It belongs to a type of high-quality celadon made at the Longquan kilns for the court of the Yongle (AD 1403–24) or Xuande (AD 1426–35) emperors. Similar designs and forms were produced in underglaze blue porcelain at Jingdezhen.

Bibliographic reference: Pierson, Stacey, Illustrated Catalogue of Celadon Wares in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, University of London, Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, School of Oriental and African Studies, 1997

Medley, Margaret, Illustrated Catalogue of Celadon Wares in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, University of London, Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, School of Oriental and African Studies, 1977