Delftware Blue and White Dragon Charger

A fine and unusual Delftware tin-glazed earthenware charger, painted in vibrant cobalt blue with a central depiction of a fantastical dragon amidst scrolling foliage. The creature is shown in animated pose, with bristling mane, outstretched claws, and spotted body, transformed by Delft potters into a wild chimera inspired by Chinese models. The field is richly filled with arabesque foliage, enclosed within double line borders and a broad rim decorated with alternating feathered motifs and cross-hatched reserves in the kraak style.
This rare design reflects the cosmopolitan influences on Delft workshops in the late 17th century. While inspired by Chinese porcelain and Ottoman ceramics, the potters reinterpreted the benevolent Chinese dragon into a striking and menacing figure that appealed to European tastes. Dragon-decorated Delftware plates of this type are scarce, with comparable examples in the collections of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, and the British Museum, London.