Plate depicting a lady with parasol

This plate is an example of the blue and white porcelain made for export in China through the Dutch East India Company. It depicts a light-hearted scene where a woman and her attendant greet a group of large birds. Looking deeper, the plate is representative of the far-reaching network of global trade and influence at the time of its production. A European artist designed the imagery on an object created using a ceramic manufacturing technique popularized in Asia.