Blue and White Dutch Delftware Vase with Wanli-Style Decoration

A blue and white Dutch Delftware vase of ovoid form, with a rounded shoulder and short cylindrical neck. The body is divided into alternating vertical panels. The principal panels depict a bird among large flowering plants, leafy branches and grasses, while the narrower panels contain stylised lotus flowers and foliate ornament.

The rounded shoulder is decorated with shaped reserves containing flowering sprigs, set against a dense blue ground of scrolling foliage. A geometric border encircles the neck, while a narrow band of stylised floral ornament marks the lower body.

The panelled composition and alternating naturalistic and stylised motifs derive from Chinese Kraak porcelain produced during the Wanli period. Delft potters adapted this decorative scheme throughout the seventeenth century, combining recognisably Chinese motifs with local interpretations.

Delft, late 17th century.
Height: 19 cm.