Plate with applied dragon amid clouds

This piece exemplifies one of the most refined types of shallow-reliefs combined with incised ornamentation. The pictorial scheme in which a centrally placed dragon is set off by four smaller elements in each direction played an important role as a standard design among later Ming-Qing wares. The same secondary wavy patterns on the interior sides and floral panels on the exterior seen on this plate were also used when applying fish motif decorations on longquan dishes of the period. Two known specimens of this type, one at the Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Mus. 1991 vol. II: fig. 195) and the other from the shipwreck at Xin'an showing a dragon playing with a ball (Ministry of Culture and Information 1983: pl. 83), lack the three floating clouds seen on this piece.