DISH, blue-and-white porcelain with baoxianghua scroll design 青花 宝相華唐草文 盤せいか ほうそうげからくさもん ばん

Description

This is one of the precious examples of early blue-and-white ware of the Joseon dynasty. The flat and smooth surface bears a baoxianghua flower in the center and five more flowers radiating outward. Such motif resembles those found in the blue-and-white porcelain of the Hongwu period (1368-98) of Ming dynasty China. The flattened mouth rim also suggests Hongwu style, as a metal dish having the same form was excavated from the tomb dated 1370. An illustration of this type of dish along with a golden cup can be found in the section Oryeui (Five Rites) in Sillok (Annals) of the reign of King Sejong (1418–1450), suggesting that this dish was used as a tray or saucer for a ritual wine vessel. The underside bears the seven treasures, the decorative motifs found in artworks associated with Tibetan Buddhism. A sherd of a similar dish with pine tree and bamboo design was discovered at Kiln Site No.1 (an imperial kiln site) in Doma-ri, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, while another sherd with scroll design was found at Kiln Site No.5 in Beomcheon-ri, also in Gwangju-si.