Ming Dynasty Wanli Period (1572-1620) Large Charger dish

Superb large WANLI period (1572 -1620) - Ming dynasty - Kraak charger dish with a beautiful colour of cobalt blue decoration. The charger dish  is in an excellent undamaged condition. The dish is decorated in the classic Kraak decoration divided into panels , each panel showing an various Buddhist emblems and flowers around a central cartouche showing a bird perched on a rock and flowers. The back of the dish is decorated in the typical circular motifs found on Wanli period dishes. The base has quite pronounced kiln grit which again is typical of these early dishes as the grit was put into the oven during firing to help stop the dishes adhering to each other in the glaze firing. The origin of the name Kraak is though to be related to the early export of Chinese porcelain to the Portuguese and Dutch markets. The style originated in China in the 16th century. That being said these wares were also produced for the Chinese market with examples found even in Royal Chinese tombs. The style was widely copied worldwide , especially in the Netherlands in the 17th Century in Delft and even copied by the Japanese in the 17th and 18th Centuries.