Bowl imitating carved lacquer
Not on view
The decoration depicting bats flying over waves on this porcelain bowl was molded to imitate carved lacquer, and it exhibits the same depth and richness as other lacquers from the eighteenth century. The closest parallels to the bowl’s shape can be found in small wooden dishes with metal rims from Tibet and Mongolia, which were sometimes placed on altars to hold flowers or other offerings. It is possible that this dish was also intended to serve a ceremonial function, or as a gift for a foreign dignitary.
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