Pair of white-glazed "anhua" bowls, with Ming-Chenghua marking

Thin-walled bowl-shaped porcelain with a slightly open mouth, rising from a circular foot. It is decorated with the 'anhua' technique, depicting a fierce flying dragon and a phoenix on a sea with waves. It is covered with a uniform white glaze. The end of the foot is unglazed and reveals the colour of the porcelain, which is extremely white and semi-translucent. The base is incised with a single-character Chenghua mark "天". 

The decorative technique known as 'anhua' (hidden decoration) consists of incised lines that are fully visible when a light is shone on the piece. This technique was made possible by innovations in the production of white ware from the beginning of the Ming dynasty. 

Height: 4 cm; 4.10 cm; Mouth diameter: 8 cm