25.
A ‘BLUE AND WHITE’ ‘KRAAK’ DISH
Ming dynasty, Wanli period
20,2 cm diam.
Provenance: Naples, Villa della Floridiana, Museo Duca di Martina,Placido de Sangro (1829-1891) collection.
inv. n. 3602.
This dish belongs to the group of blue and white porcelain wares produced during the late sixteenth century to circa 1630s, termed ‘Kraak porselein’ after the Dutch. Decoratively, the group is characterised by the borders around the cavetto divided into panels; the ‘blue and white’ decoration varying from greyish blue to strong tones of blue; and by the porcelain being of coarser quality with typical fritting to the rim. This group was largely exported and became popular in Europe as demonstrated by the many seventeenth century Dutch paintings including Kraak dishes and bowls. The term Kraak is thought to derive from the Portuguese carracks used to transport the wares, although other explanations have been suggested such as the Dutch term ‘Kraken’ meaning to break (M. Rinaldi, Kraak Porcelain: A Moment in the History of Trade. London 1989).
The cavetto of this dish is decorated with panels enclosing pomegranates (shiliu), which symbolise the wish for progeny due to the numerous seeds of the fruit. The well is painted with a deer in a fenced garden. The deer (lu) is associated with the God of Longevity, Shoulao, and therefore bears the auspicious wish for long life as well.
A similar dish (one of three) is in the Topkai Saray Museum, Istanbul (R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, 3 voll., London 1986, n. 1491).
