A cloisonné enamel bowl. Ming dynasty, second half of the 16th century

A cloisonné enamel bowl. Ming dynasty, second half of the 16th century

Of rounded shape, the interior decorated with a central double vajra and ribbons, surrounded by two large makara (or winged fabulous birds) above turbulent waves, the exterior decorated with four Buddhist lions playing with ribbons tied to brocade balls amongst small auspicious symbols, all reserved on a turquoise scrolling ground. Heavily damaged along the rim with losses to the enamel.
Height 7.3 cm; diameter 18.2 cm

明 十六世紀下半葉
掐絲琺瑯四獅戲球紋小碗
來源：德國北部私人收藏

Provenance

Private collection, Northern Germany

Literature

Cf. an almost identical bowl in the former Collection Uldry, illustrated in: Helmut Brinker and Albert Lutz, Chinesisches Cloisonné. Die Sammlung Pierre Uldry, Museum Rietberg, Zürich 1985, no. 88