12 | Imperial cloisonnÉ enamel dish Jingtai mark and period, 1450 – 1457 Diameter: 19.5 cm | 7 11/16 in Click image for full-size version The circular dish has a flat base with shallow rounded sides that flare slightly, at the rim. The inside is decorated, at its centre, with a lotus pod and a radiating double circle of lotus petals framed by scrolling leaves and flowers – the sides and reverse decorated with lotus flowers and encircling scrolling leaves – all against a turquoise blue ground. The dish is supported on a shallow foot – its gilt metal base incised, in the centre, with a horizontal six-character Jingtai mark. The deep pure colours in red, green, yellow, white and dark blue are characteristic of cloisonné from the early to mid-15th century. The well spaced design, delineated by richly gilt wirework – together with the heavy weight of the dish – characterize this piece as a work of the highest quality. Similar example: Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, The Asia Society Galleries, New York, 1989 – no.10 is a dish with a Jingtai mark (illustrated in 10a).