Object Description
Ming, Chinese early 17th century, blue and white Kraak porcelain klapmuts bowl. Larger than usual with excellent bright blue colour and painting. Made at the kilns at Jingdezhen for export to Europe. This type is associated more with Holland than Britain at this time.
The everted rim and sides are painted with panels, four large and four small. The small long panels are painted with a bow hanging down from a ruyi head the alternating larger panels which are painted with ‘monster shaped’ panels which in turn are painted with flowers or fruit. Around these mask shaped panels there is a geometric pattern in a triangle and scrolling foliage.
The base of the bowl is painted with a jardinière of flowers and a shaped border both are painted with a repeat of the geometric pattern. This pattern is common in architecture and window shutters at this time. The underside is painted with a sparse repeat of the design off the front.
The everted rim, according to Maura Rinaldi in Kraak Porcelain A moment in the History of Trade was developed so that the European spoon would sit more easily into the bowl when not being used. In this book all Kraak is classified and this a class v for Klapmuts bowls
This is a very fine example of an early large Klapmuts bowl.