Bowl (wan) with Water Plants and Arabesques
Unknown Artist
1506–21
Medium
porcelain
Dimensions
h. 9.2 cm · diam. 21.6 cm
Classification
Ceramic
Department
Chinese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Anonymous Gift
Accession Number
1957.359
About this artwork
Arabesques, an ornamental design of intertwined flowing lines inspired by Middle Eastern culture, appear on Chinese blue-and-white porcelain since the 1300s. The early Ming emperors, particularly the Zhengde emperor, promoted Islam and commissioned porcelain with Islamic calligraphy.