Chinese Ceramic Bowl

Blue and white, a river scene, and a handful of very small rooftops.

Chinese potters of Jiangxi Province, China, made this porcelain bowl in the 19th century. Blue-and-white porcelain from the region was commonly made for household use and for export, and large bowls of this sort are often used as planters or fish bowls. A rounded, deep body is painted in cobalt blue with a central panel showing a landscape of pavilions, trees and a river under hills. Dark blue patterned panels fill the space around it, and a ribbed band runs under the rim. The glaze has a slight cream cast.

About 8 inches tall and 9 wide. Bring a plant, or let it be the plant.