The Art Collection

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Bowl with Abstracted Calligraphic Decoration

Late Ming to middle Qing dynasty, 17th–19th century

This utilitarian bowl is an example of Chinese provincial blue-and-white porcelain (minyao), mass-produced for export along the Maritime Silk Road. Its discovery in historic Jeddah—a vital Red Sea trading hub and gateway to Mecca—highlights the vast commercial networks linking East Asia to the Arabian Peninsula. Reflecting the rapid production of non-imperial workshops, the vessel features spontaneous, freehand brushwork. The interior roundel displays a single-stroke rendering of an auspicious character or cloud motif. The unrefined cobalt ore produces a muted grayish-blue tone with dark iron spots (‘heaping and piling’). Finished with a pale glaze and an iron-brown rim slip, the bowl bears the scars of everyday domestic use and its long maritime journey.

Object Details

Period
Late Ming (1368–1644) to Middle Qing (1644–1911) Dynasty
Date
17th – early 19th century
Culture
Chinese
Medium
Porcelain painted with unrefined cobalt blue under a translucent glaze (Minyao Folk Ware)
Geography
Made in South China (Fujian province or provincial Jingdezhen); Recovered in Historic Jeddah (Al-Balad), Saudi Arabia
Classification
Ceramics – Export Ware

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