Transitional - Shunzhi / kangxi - Chinese 17th century blue and white porcelain plate

Chinese 17th century Transitional blue and white antique porcelain plate from the Jingdezhen kilns made as export to Japan. This type of ware is known as Ko-sometsuke. made towards the end of the Emperor Shunzhis reign and the start of the Emperor Kangxis reign.

Unlike much of this ware this plate is very finely potted and the painting is sophisticated and incredibly well done. The decoration shows the flowering plum tree (prunus), bamboo and grasses. The flowers our outlined in blue and the area around them is painted leaving the flowers white. It makes it appear that the flowers are in a mist. This technique is seen on some later Shunzhi ware.

The cavetto of the plate has the flower decoration repeated and the overall affect of the pattern is elegant and beautiful

The underside is painted with blossom and the base has a double circle around the six figure Cheng Hua mark for the earlier revered Ming Emperor. An apocryphal mark rather than one done to deceive.