Ming Blue and White porcelain Kraak bowl

Late Ming early Transitional blue and white porcelain klapmutsen bowl made c1630 for the export trade to Europe at the kilns at Jingdezhen. The dating of the bowl is based on Rinaldis book on Kraak porcelain which puts it as being made during the reign of the Emperor Chongzhen. Excellent painting of a Confucian scholar on a river headland with boulders and trees. The sides are painted with taotie mask shaped panels which are painted to the inside with fruit or flowers The bowls were developed initially for the Dutch market where the everted rim was used to rest the spoon when eating. Excellent subject matter with a figure to the centre very good colour potting and painting .