Ming Dynasty Swatow Ware Small Porcelain Dish

Late Ming Dynasty, c. 1610–1640 AD, Zhangzhou Prefecture, Fujian Province, China

Charming and finely executed small Swatow (Zhangzhou) ware porcelain dish, decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with a loosely painted garden scene of stylized flowers, plants, and leaves—its spontaneous, freehand brushwork lending a lively and expressive character. The reverse features three concentric blue bands, a hallmark of Swatow decoration.

The Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), officially known as the Great Ming, presided over one of the most prolific eras of Chinese ceramic production. Swatow ware, named after the port through which it was once exported, refers to a group of late Ming export porcelains made primarily for the Southeast Asian market. These wares were produced at numerous kilns scattered across the coastal region of Fujian Province, particularly around Zhangzhou and Pinghe County. Major production centers included Da Long and Er Long in Wuzhai, and Huazai Lou in Nansheng.

Archaeological evidence suggests Swatow ware was made roughly between 1575 and 1650, with production peaking around 1620. Typically coarse in body and under-fired, these wares were often fired in dragon kilns (lung-yao) and display traces of kiln grit adhering to the glaze at the foot—an indication of their rustic, artisanal manufacture. While wheel-thrown forms were common, moulds were also employed to produce more standardized shapes. The characteristic underglaze blue-and-white decoration, rendered with cobalt pigment, was the earliest and most prevalent style, distinguished by its bold, unrestrained brushwork and folk-art vitality.

A delightful example of late Ming export porcelain, capturing both the aesthetic charm and historical spirit of Swatow ware.

Good condition. Wear commensurate with age and use. Glazing defects and firing flaws. Small hairline fracture. Footring has kiln grits. Size approx. 15,5cm x 15,5cm x 2,0cm.

Provenance: Swedish private collection

References and further reading:

The Ceramic Trade Across the South China Sea c. AD 1350-1650, Barbara Harrisson, Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. 76, No. 1, 2003, pp. 99-114.

Swatow, Barbara Harrisson, Publisher: Museum het Princessehof, Leeuwarden, 1979.

The Wares of the Transitional Period between the Ming and the Ch'Ing 1620-1683, Soame Jenyns, Archives of the Chinese Art Society of America, Published By: Duke University Press, Vol. 9, 1955, pp. 20-42.

Zhangzhou (Swatow) Ceramics. Sixteenth to Seventeenth Centuries Found In Indonesia, Sumarah Adhyatman, Publisher: The Ceramic Society of Indonesia, 1999.