Wine-storage jar (meiping) Jingdezhen, southeast China Ming dynasty, AD 1450-1505

This jar is decorated using the fahua technique, whereby coloured glazes of a particular palette are applied to areas enclosed by raised trails of white slip. The trails prevented the different glazes from running into each other when the pots were fired. This technique is comparable to cloisonné (see the case to your right by the lacquer screens) where the enamel design elements are separated by copper wires. Porcelain, raised slip, incised and on-biscuit enamel decoration in fahua style. Bequeathed by Mr F. P. M. Schiller.