15th-16th century, the center painted with a flowering lotus, the cavetto with scrolling foliage, the exterior sides with stylized lotus leaf lappets, the unglazed base with an brown iron-oxide wash.


2 3/4 in., 14 5/8 in. diameter

Property from the Estate of Joan Huntley, sold by the Ackland Art Museum to benefit the Robert and Joan Huntley Endowment Fund

The Underwood collection of Vietnamese ceramics presents a curated selection of various shapes and patterns of blue and white created during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Vietnamese ceramic workshops came to a pinnacle in the 15th century spurred by the Chinese occupation of north Vietnam and the gap left in the market from lower exports from China. The Vietnamese were able to create high quality pieces similar to the Chinese style using underglaze cobalt blue with a heaping effect but with more graceful and willowy brushstrokes over a soft white paste stoneware. The Vietnamese exported their ceramics to southeast Asia and the Philippines.

Repaired cracks through center and to rim of dish.