The peony motif symbolises wealth and prosperity, is one of the most popular floral decorations on Chinese ceramics. It is however unusual to have a single peony spray with curved edges as the decoration of the present lot. A closely related bowl of a very similar design is illustrated in Sekai tōji zenshū/ Ceramic Art of the World, vol. 12, Tokyo, 1977, pl. 139; see three further examples from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Decorated porcelains of Dingzhou: White Ding wares from the collects ion of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2014, pls 30-32.

牡丹象征富貴繁榮，是中國陶瓷器最常見的裝飾紋飾之一。本拍品所刻牡丹紋刀工利落、線條簡潔，實屬罕見。類似裝飾的定窯白瓷僅見幾件刻花盌。對比一例收錄於《世界陶瓷全集》，卷12，1977年，東京，圖版139；國立故宮博物院中亦藏有三例，收錄於《定州花瓷 : 院藏定窯系白瓷特展》，台北，2014年，圖版30-32。