A MONUMENTAL BLUE AND WHITE POTTERY CHARGER
Possibly France or Belgium, late 19th century

Of circular shape, resting on a short circular foot, the rim lobed, painted in underglaze cobalt blue on white ground, the cavetto and rim decorated with typical Chinese motives such as the ru cloud pattern and the vegetal scrollwork with large lotus flowers, the centre decorated with carnations, stylised lotus flowers, foliage and two bunches of grape with vine tendrils, 54.5cm diam.

This 19th-century pottery charger was probably inspired by the large dishes produced in Edirne and Bursa, Turkey, in the mid-15th century. These dishes were an early response to blue and white Ming porcelains and as such, they were decorated with a pastiche of both Chinese and Turkish motives. An impressive example of these early Turkish chargers can be viewed, for comparison, at the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore (inv. 2015-0006.3).