A CHINESE EARLY MING BLUE AND WHITE EWER

The pear-shaped body of the ewer painted with a chrysanthemum scroll, issuing two large blossoms on each side with smaller flowers and buds along the vine, the slender neck decorated under the square-lipped rim with overlapping plantain leaves above a band of flower scroll, the arched strap-handle with scrolling lingzhi, and tapered spout similarly decorated with scrolling lotus, all supported on a low foot painted with a classic scroll band, the cobalt of characteristic greyish-blue with areas of 'heaping and piling', the underside of the base glazed white