Porcelain dish decorated with underglaze cobalt blue, Ming dynasty, Chinese, ca.1630-1640. Diameter: 48.5 cm. FE.29-1982FE.29-1982. © V&A Images. 

This splendid blue-and-white dish, although exhibiting many characteristics common to so-called Kraak wares (a type of blue-and-white porcelain), is unusual in that its decoration is not that commonly found on wares made for the European market in the 17th century. It is painted in the centre with mounted warriors and standard-bearers in a landscape scene, probably a scene from the Yuan dynasty epic novel The Three Kingdoms. On the rim are four separate episodes with figures in landscape. Outside, in sketchy form, are painted the 'Three Friends of Winter': pine, prunus and bamboo.