Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 125, Grove Room

Bowl

1662-1722 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This bowl is made of fine porcelain painted in underglaze blue with a design of lotus flowers and foliage. The lotus was particularly associated with the East and would have appealed to a Victorian audience in search of the exotic. Commonly known as 'Chinese blue-and- white', vases like this were used to decorate the interiors of many British homes in the 19th century.

Chinese blue-and-white had been imported into Britain since the 16th century. Although by the 1870s they were no longer rarity items, they continued to feature prominently in interior design. Rooms were filled with blue and white porcelain of different shapes and sizes to create a sumptuous effect. Older pieces were displayed alongside newer products.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain, painted in underglaze cobalt blue
Brief description
Blue and white bowl
Dimensions
  • Height: 10cm
  • Width: 21cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 18/05/2000 by LH
Style
Marks and inscriptions
Mark of Jiajing (1522-66) although the dish dates to the Kangxi period
Object history
Made in Jingdezhen, China, by an unidentiifed maker
Production
Kangxi reign period
Summary
This bowl is made of fine porcelain painted in underglaze blue with a design of lotus flowers and foliage. The lotus was particularly associated with the East and would have appealed to a Victorian audience in search of the exotic. Commonly known as 'Chinese blue-and- white', vases like this were used to decorate the interiors of many British homes in the 19th century.

Chinese blue-and-white had been imported into Britain since the 16th century. Although by the 1870s they were no longer rarity items, they continued to feature prominently in interior design. Rooms were filled with blue and white porcelain of different shapes and sizes to create a sumptuous effect. Older pieces were displayed alongside newer products.
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.641-1969

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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