??? ????????????; Dish with Persimmons; Flowers and Birds; Ming dynasty (1368-1644); 16th century; China; Black lacquer with painted decoration; W. 6 5/16 in. (16 cm); Lacquer; The blue used in the depiction of the magpie was created using an oil-based pigment that allowed for the development of additional colors in the design of Chinese lacquers. Such pigments; to which a lead oxide is added as a drying agent; are known as litharge in Western writings; and as mituoseng in Chinese