Dish with John the Baptist

Title: Dish with John the Baptist
Description: Christian symbols appear on Chinese porcelain as early as the early sixteenth century, but this unusually large plate is one of the first known works with a biblical scene. The composition depicting John the Baptist and Christ in the Jordan River is based on a passage from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, as indicated by the inscription ("MAT. 3, 16"). The plate may have been intended for export to Europe or for use by recently converted Christians in China.; Inscription: Inscribed in cartouche at bottom: MAT. 3. 16.
Identifier: 2016.166.2
Coverage: China
Spatial Coverage: European
Date: ca. 1715 - 25
Medium: blue-and-white (ceramic glaze); Dimensions: 3 1/4 × 20 in. (8.3 × 50.8 cm)
Creator: Unknown
Subject: China trade porcelain; Blue and white ware--China; Ceramics; John, the Baptist, Saint--Art
Publisher: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Rights: OA-Public Domain