An exceptional and possibly unique large blue and white ‘makara dragon' jar, Ming dynasty, Yongle period | 明永樂 青花夔龍紋罐

An exceptional and possibly unique large blue and white ‘makara dragon' jar

Ming dynasty, Yongle period

明永樂 青花夔龍紋罐

sturdily potted with an ovoid body rising to a rounded shoulder and surmounted by a straight neck and lipped rim, the exterior superbly painted in shades of cobalt blue with a continuous scene of two makara dragons chasing each other, the winged mythical beasts rendered dynamically striding ahead with their three-clawed feet amidst ruyi cloud scrolls above crashing waves, their manes depicted fluttering backwards and their long curlicue tails trailing behind, the shoulder of the vessel collared with a frieze of ruyi lappets enclosing foliate motifs, below a band of roundels encircling the neck, the lower body skirted by overlapping upright lappets, the base unglazed

h. 24.4 cm, w. 29.8 cm