Bowl with dragons

On this bowl a dragon in a frontal pose set among flowers is painted against a blue background on the inner base. On the exterior, two dragons accompanied by two small mythological beasts are set between and upper band of flowers in ogival frames and a fungus band below. The most striking feature is the "mad-faced" dragon with its mane pointing straight upward, a type which began to be produced in the Jiajing-Wanli period and lasted throughout the Qing. The grotesque images of animals portrayed in irregular lines overlapping blue washes speak strongly of the dynamic drawing style of potters during this period.