This large, heavily potted blue-and-white plate is vibrantly decorated in the center with a fish (probably a sea perch) swimming with great exuberance among aquatic plants. In the cavetto is a freely drawn lotus scroll with blossoms and distinctive spiky leaves. The composition is painted with strong and skilful brushstrokes and fills the surface of the plate.

The evolution of blue-and-white porcelain was the most dramatic innovation in ceramics in the Yuan period. This new ceramic type probably would never have developed without the impetus provided by the Mongols. Under Mongol and Muslim supervision, potters at kiln sites in Jingdezhen began experimenting with imported cobalt and producing ceramics for export. The result was a totally new style of ceramic decoration in which large-scale plates and bowls were embellished with densely painted designs that included intricate geometric patterns in the manner of Near Eastern metalwork and lusterware prototypes. Thenceforth, surface decoration became a prominent element in all the Chinese decorative arts.

Ceramics, especially blue-and-white wares, were one of the most popular types of goods exported from China to the Middle East. Other commodities included textiles, particularly silk, and lacquerwares. Sunken cargo vessels that have been recovered indicate that Chinese ceramics were traded by ship to the Middle East since at least the Tang dynasty (618–907). To take full advantage of this market, Chinese craftsmen often produced items, such as large platters for ceremonial banquets, that better suited the customs and markets of foreign lands than those of China.