Object size: 002: H1.0 x Dia 5.5 cm
The open-work in this basket-shaped piece was produced by meticulously cutting portions away so as to leave walls comprising floral and cash motifs. Some of the flower heads also have incised details. As evident by a seam running round the inner mid-section, this piece was constructed by joining upper and lower portions of the walls, after which the handle was attached. The intricate openwork suggests this piece may have been used for holding perfumes or aromatic herbs for scenting a room.Dehua, located on the southeast coast of Fujian province, is well known for its production of white porcelain, known to Europeans as 'blanc de Chine'. The earliest Dehua porcelain was produced as early as the 14th century but the production and quality of these porcelain peaked around the 17th and 18th centuries.
