Dish with John the Baptist
Not on view
Christian symbols appear on Chinese porcelain as early as the early sixteenth century, but this unusually large plate is one of the first known works with a biblical scene. The composition depicting John the Baptist and Christ in the Jordan River is based on a passage from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, as indicated by the inscription ("MAT. 3, 16"). The plate may have been intended for export to Europe or for use by recently converted Christians in China.
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