Ewer (Zhihu)

Painting porcelain in underglaze red using copper-oxide pigment was introduced in the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen during the Yuan dynasty and continued into the early Ming. In this early period, use of the pigment was still experimental, and the fired copper would often create a color more gray than bright red. The taste for underglaze red in the Hongwu period was in part a result of the lack of imported cobalt at this time. The overall shape of the vessel, as well as details such as the raised vertical rib down the handle and the three studs at its base, refers to metal prototypes from the Middle East or Central Asia, and the scrolling pattern of the painted decoration is common in Islamic art.