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Jar of baluster shape with short neck and rolled lip. The recessed, glazed base with kiln grit. Around the sides, over spiralling waves and peaked rocks, two winged dragons amidst flames, separated by a flaming pearl. The shoulder with four ribboned emblems, the foot with a lotus border.
Characteristics of Group III jars include the decoration over the whole of the body instead of in two registers, emphasizing its manufacture in two parts. The dragon with its worm-like body, a peaked hairdo, a beard and winged fore-limbs is peculiar to Zhangzhou ware and can also be found on polychrome and monochrome wares. Sea creatures like this feiyu (flying fish dragon) bear a relationship to those depicted on wares of the early and mid 16th century made in Jingdezhen. Examples of these wares are in the Topkapi Saray collection and in the British Museum. This type of dragon was also found on a jar retrieved from the San Diego (1600). A shard with this motif has been found on a site formerly occupied by the Spanish in Panama Vieja, which dates to 1600-1620. This jar was collected in Indonesia.
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