HONGZHI SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE WITHIN A DOUBLE CIRCLE AND OF THE PERIOD (1488-1505)

A Hongzhi-marked dish of the same design and size is illustrated in The Complete Treasures of the Palace Museum - 35 - Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (I), Hong Kong, 2000, p. 256, no. 231.

Dishes of this design, featuring underglaze-blue decoration against an enameled yellow ground, first appeared in the Xuande period (1426-1435), such as the example included in the exhibition, Xuande Imperial Porcelain Excavated at Jingdezhen, Chang Foundation, Taiwan, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 88. This design found much popularity in the mid-Ming period and similar dishes were produced in varying sizes with either a pomegranate or a stylized flower, often identified as gardenia, in the interior. Published examples bear the Chenghua, Hongzhi, Zhengde and Jiajing reign marks.