Round dish with dragon decor. Carved red lacquerware. Ming dynasty, Wanli reign (1573-1619)-China Archive

Image Number: K1H000555N000000000PAB
Dynasty: Ming dynasty
Category: Lacquer wares
Function: Container
Material: Plants/Paint/
Description:
Disc, round edge, round foot, painted black inside the foot. The bottom payment “Wanli Yiwei Year System” is the 23rd year of Wanli, 1595 AD. The front plate edge is a continuous flower. There is a big circle in the plate, and the lower section is carved with wavy patterns. In front of the undulating sea, there are three peaks. The sea is surging beside the rocks, causing waves. In the upper part of the center of the plate, there is a rice shaped square on the brocade ground. The left and right dragons confront each other. A dragon falls from the sky, its head turns up, and a dragon leaps up. The two dragons look at each other across a fireball. The body of the dragon is slender and flying. It is in the center of the circle. It opens its mouth and spits out its tongue. Its four feet are outward. Its fins are flying. Its appearance is strong and dignified. The dragon is decorated with cloud patterns. The paint layer is thin, hard, dark, the pattern layout is balanced, the composition is stable, the knife technique is skilled and neat, and the lines carved in the shade are clumsy, solemn, steady and gorgeous, which is typical of official carved lacquer.