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NK 4565.M74
A
histon
i3
The
original of
tiiis
book
is in
restrictions in
text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023327285
PLATE
I.
(in
centre) modelled in
with a circle of twelve standing figures round the shoulder, a seated figure of Sakyamuni Buddha with two 9,ttendants on the neck within a ring of alternating lotus flowers and serpents, and a dragon coiled round the
Covered with a
terminating below in a curved unctuous line before it reaches the foot of the vase. On the stand is carved in
gilded letters Ju-yao
seal of
Kuan-yin Tsun
i.e.
"
Kuan-yin
relief, the Liu Yen-t'ing. (H. 19 in.) QuadraTigular Vase of Ting-chou porcelain (on right), with brocaded grounds and borders of spiral fret lightly engraved in the paste under a characteristic, soft, minutelycrackled glaze of creamy white tone. Also from the collection of Liu Yen-t'ing. (H. 13J in.) Shalloiv Bowl of Ting-chou porcelain worked in relief with
panels containing
spiral border.
fruit,
flowers,
and
butterflies within a
collar.
Kim bound
with a copper
(Diam.
7iin.)
Tazza-shaped Bowl of Lung-ch'iian ware, with a small floral medallion engraved inside, invested with a green c61adon glaze. (H. 5 in., d. 5^ in.) Small Vase of Kuan-yao covered with a thick, finely-crackled
glaze of pale purplish blue.
(H. 3|
in.)
(Bushell Collection.)
<
Chinese Porcelain
BY
COSMO MONKHOUSE
WITH NOTES BY
S.
W.
BUSHELL,
C.M.G.
NEW
YORK
b-
MELBOURNE. MCMI.
/
''
^- 5' 4>
this
&
CONTENTS.
Preface
. .
Inteodttction
....
and Yuan)
ix
.
Part I, HISTORICAL.
Period
I.
Before
a.d. 960
II.
960-1367 (Sung
....
13
III. 1368-1643
(Ming)
.
...
...
.
.17
25
38
...
Glazes
.
49 54 64
B. Single-coloured
C. GrLAZES OF
II.
Crackle Porcelain
...
SEVERAL COLOURS
III.
With White
Section
Slip Decoration
:
...
.66
69
A
B.
AND White)
70
.116
.
C.
118 136
V.
...
. . .
137
.140
.
152
156
...
.
159
161
164
Group of Sung porcelain EoTind box and cover of Oh'Sng-hua blue and white To III. Large jar of Chia-ching blue and white IV. and beakers of Ming " flve-colour " porcelain V. Massive pierced jar of early Ming period
I.
PLATE
(Frontispiece)
face jpage
II.
18
^Vase, jars,
26 31 38 42
Wine jug, mounted in Elizabethan sUver-gilt Small sang-de-boeuf vase Plum-blossom jar, with bell-shaped cover Egg-eheU plate, decorated in over-glaze blue. X. ^Large vase, with black enamelled ground
.
48
54 62 68
XVII. Tall vase, famille of the K'ang-hsi period XVIII. Vase, decorated in coral red XIX. Pilgrim vase of turquoise crackle XX. Small crackled vase of streaked flambe purple XXI. Openwork lantern of the Ch'ien-lung period. XXII. Euby-backed egg-shell plate, with seven diapered borders XXIII. Famille rose with cover XXIV.Six small monochrome vases
verte,
.
XI.-^Large vase, with bright green ground XII. Four-sided dragon-handled vase, with yellow ground XIII. Vase painted in colours of the grand feu XIV. Vase, with figures executed in relief XV. Beaker-shaped vase, with magnolias on blue backgrounds XVI. Blue and white vase and cover, with ladies and flowers
72
76 82 88 90 100 102
jar,
...... ......
154
LIST OF
FIG.
1. 2.
3. 4.
5.
Hexagonal lantern, with flowers, and Ming blue and white, mounted in Elizabethan panels and brocaded Polychrome vase, with
relief
... ...
.
To face page
4
6 8
grounds
6.
Fu Hsing, god of happiness Lu Hsing, god of rank Shou Hsing, god of longevity
10 12
14
LI8T OF BLAOK
7,
Tiger-Bpotted
Ming
16
8. Purple and turquoise figure of Lan Tsai-ho 9.Imperial dragon fish-towl of the Wan-li period, decorated in colours fruit 10. Ming "five-colour" beaker, with ladies and children, flowers and
polychrome enamels 12. -Peaoh-ehaped wine-pot: turquoise and auhergine 13. Squirrel and grapes: 5aM-i!s'ai water-pourer 14. Triple gourd vase, painted in hrilliant enamel colours with gilding
25 28
30 36
n. Jar of
....-36
. . .
.33
.
16.
Yung-ohing
40 ** 46
53
16. Ch'ien-lung
17._Rgvire of Kuan Ti, god of war, in Fuchien 18. Group of Fuchien and Ching-td-chdn white
19.
Four-legged
celadon
56
of crackled
and plain
60
Celadon vase sur decoree with enamels of the muffle stove 22. Old yellow crackle vase {mi-se) {pdte-aur-pdte) 23. Chocolate with white in 24. Blue and white aster dish 26. Kuan Yin, the Chinese goddess of mercy Lung-ch'ing blue and white, with imperial dragons and phoenixes 27. Powder blue, with polychrome decoration in reserved panels 28. Blue and white ginger jar 29. Jar inscribed "wedded joy," for trousseau Blue and white flanged bowl 31. Blue and white "Hawthorn bottle" Medallions on a green ground strewn with a hundred flowers K'ang-hsi vase, decorated with lions and brocaded balls
slip
...
.
64 67 70
relief
....
....
.74 .78
.
26.
80
86
.92 .94
94
30.
.96
99
32. 33.
.104
.
34.
35.
Three snuff-bottles, painted in blue and white 108 36. Maitreya Buddha, the Buddhist Messiah 110 37. Tai-po Tsun a writer's water-pot 110 Three-colour decoration sur 112 ^K'ang-hsi vase, decorated with po-ku emblems 118 40. Vase enamelled with the flowers of the four seasons 124 41. Three egg-sheU dishes, painted in enamels of the eaxly fcaniUe rose style 127 42. Vase entirely painted with copper-red of the grand feu .129 43. Imperial Ch'ien-lung vase, decorated in Ku-yueh Hsiian style 130 44 & 45. Peking graviata ware of Ch'ien-lung and Tao-kuang periods 132
:
106
38. 39.
biscuit
....
.
.
46.
Chinese copy of European engraving 47 & 48.Two plates of "armorial china" from Gruemsey 49K'ang-hsi vase Laquee burgauUe porcelain 50. Wine-pot in the form of Pu character 51.Wine-pot in the form of Shou character 52. Ch'ien-lung blue and white, with eight Taoist emblems, 53. Chinese lion in white porcelain
Crucifixion
:
The
137 140
64.
Kylin proper in
:
...
. .
.139
.
.
142
etc.
144 149
white porcelain
167 157
PREFACE.
friend Mr.
to the last work of my much-regretted Cosmo Monkhouse without a word to express my deep feeling of his irreparable loss. The vanished hand will be more especially missed as that of a cultivated critic of the
shown in the
"
Coloured
No pen
more
ring
vividly the
charm
with
varied tones of
pulsating from
the
ruby-Hke depth of
silicates
or the perfect
harmony
upon a translucent
of the potter's art.
But
before
Press,
all
has been
my
privilege to look
really ready
through
for
publication.
The
text was
to
the
and
The coloured
remained
for
plates
were also
finished,
so
that
it
only
me
to
PBEFAGE.
select a series of typical pieces for reproduction in black-and-
white,
and
is
to write
There
art
such
a wonderful
of Chinese
of
ceramic
at
the present
moment
at
the
halls
the Victoria
it
must be
my own
here.
not presented
am
Salting
for
the
generous
at
way
in
magnificent
collection
Acknowledgments are
also
due
to
so that
any
may
artists.
little
Jules Jacqueskill
no
in
the
many
illustrations
which he supplied
for his
brother Albert's
interesting but
on the
subject.
made
for
Sir
Henry Thompconveys,
"Catalogue
of Blue
and
White
Porcelain,"
with the free stroke of his brush, the very touch and spirit of the original decorator. Mr. Louis Prang, in his turn, has devoted infinite pains to the composition of the
sumptuous
at
chromo-lithographs
Baltimore,
feet."
of pieces
in
the
Walters' CoUection
as
which Mr.
perhaps,
Monkhouse
the
notices
"almost
per-
newer methods of colour process in the plates which follow will be found to give a touch of actuahty which has hitherto been wanting. They appeal
to me, at least, as a sufficient
Yet,
memoria
which
for
for the most part available comparison to anyone uiterested in the question.
are,
it
may be
added,
PBEFAOE.
xi
A word may
been adopted
that of Sir
best
and the
G
In
should possess.
as in
Italian,
consonants as in English.
Some
consonants at the
ch, k, p,
beginning of words
may
be aspirated, such as
affixed,
and
ch',
t,
k',
and
t'
t'a,
pronounced Uke
with the
first
two and
last
ts
two
letters omitted.
The softening
by which the
is
name
written
Ch'ien-lung
instead
of
K'ien-lung,
is
and
the
Ming
well-
due to a
known
indeed
philological law.
it
would
be impossible, to
is
make
throughout, as it
often
Chinese chronology
is
generally
based
on
lists
of
the
It
must
a new nien-hao
is
is
must be
the
confessed,
here.
Chinese marks,
xii
FBEFACE.
sometimes
to
of
to
decoration,
deceive.
dehberate
intention
must be examined
as carefully as
an old
of the glaze,
The
with
much
may
be said to be the
man who
It is
me
to
add
the uninitiated as to
to
monochrome
decoration
glazes
of
could
be
accomplished of
branch of Oriental
art.
STEPHEN W. BUSHELL
(Late Physician to H.
M.
Legation, Peking).
CHINESE PORCELAIK
INTRODUCTION.
A S I had already spent much time in trying to master what -^^ was known of the history of Chinese porcelain, and had for
years been much interested in studying specimens of it, I undertook the compilation of this little handbook with a somewhat hght heart. Like many others who attempt the instruction
of their fellows, I
many
far
when
it
became convinced of
for
the insufficiency of
this
my
to
was necessary
me
to
go
to
Embassy
Peking,
whom
regarded as the
greatest
authority on
Prefaces to
my
was from the same kindly hand that I received the severest shock to that complacent view
Arts Club in 1895 and 1896, but
it
of
my
I entered
on
my
task.
This
was not caused by anj adverse criticism of my own writings, but simply by the aimouncement of a new book by himself.
and marked, and to a certain extent most interesting and valuable pamphlet by him, in which he gives an account of an illusI
read,
had already
trated
catalogue
;
century *
of a Chinese collection of the sixteenth but what (comparatively speaking) was the use of
* "Chinese Porcelain before the Present Dynasty" (extract from the Journal of the Teking Oriental Soeiety), Peking, 1886.
0EINE8E PORCELAIN.
if
day
And
"
this
was
Oriental
cuts
reproducing
the
collection
of
W.
T.
etc.,
by Dr.
S.
W.
Co.,
it
Bushell, physician to
and notes by
I give
William M.
LaflFan (D.
title
Appleton and
the complete
in
New may
I
York)."
did mine.
will
work
size,
is
and the
present
$500.
the
WUham
Thompson
printed separately;
and projector of the them a copy of the but this mercy was not for
Let
and physical
mean
to disparage in
its
any
is
way
Its
only defect,
unwieldiness,
qualities, its
Franks's Collection
is
stated that " all we know respecting the fabrics of [China] derived from the valuable history of the manufactory of King-te-chin [Ching-tg-chgn] prepared by a local magistrate in 1815
was
from
and which has been and commented upon by M. Stanislas Julien's weU-known work, considerable
PLATE
Round Box and
II.
Cover of Ch'eng-hua Blue and White. Painted style of the time with cobalt blue of miniature in the greyish tone. Within the bowl a literary graduate is seen
poised on the head of a dragon holding a sprig of olea
fragrans, emblem of success, in a round medallion surrounded by a broad band of flowers and butterflies. Outside, a band of five mailed warriors on horseback ride round in Inside the cover a lady is standing on a procession. balcony under a willow with playing children, beside lotus Outside is a garden scene, flowers blossoming in a lake. ladies disporting with fans and guitars, and children playing with toys. Underneath, pencilled in blue, there is an oblong panel with the mark Ta Ming Ch'eng hua nien chih " Made in the reign of Ch'eng-hua (1465-87) of the
(D. 7 in.)
{Bushell Collection.)
INTBODUGTION.
additions have been publications those to
made
to our knowledge. Of these later which I have been most indebted are
;
the works of
"
Dr.
Hirth's
Ancient Porcelain, a Study in Chinese Mediaeval Industry and Trade (Leipsic and Munich: Georg Hirth, 1888)"; Grandidier's
"
La Ceramique Chinoise
Ceramic
Art
in
(Paris,
1894),"
and
"
The
the
History of
The value of these books consisted not only in the addition of new facts but in the correction of certain mistakes in M. Julian's translation from the Chinese. Though a good Chinese scholar he was not an expert in ceramics, and he
appears to
to
specimens of
his
text.
in
In
consequence,
it
often difficult to
identify
existing pieces
as belonging to
word
result
ch'ing,
any particular kind which he describes. The which may mean either " blue " or " green," is
it
means
error
"green,''
with
the
celadon or
described as blue.
This
is
an
importance,
D3Tiasty,
Ming
"flowers."
This
word
is
necessarily
mean
flowers,
but
her vases with flowers, we cannot be sure that she ever used
what we
call flowers as
The
special
distinction
is
contribu-
tions to our
knowledge
a great deal of
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
information from Chinese sources hitherto unrevealed to European readers. Foremost amongst these is the work called " T'ao
Shuo," or "
which was published in 1774 by Chu Yen. This work (some translated extracts from which are to be found in Dr. Hirth's pamphlet) quotes many of the older writers and describes aU
the varieties of the potter's skill which
before the close of the
Ming Dynasty
in
by Dr. Bushell, and though his translation has not been published in fall, it has been of great value in the production of his work on " Oriental Ceramic Art." It
has been
translated
is
to
together with an
amended one
Lu "
If
before long.
still
more value
catalogue
and
of
the
collector,
is
the
illustrated
Chinese
collection of
original
the
sixteenth
century,
already
mentioned.
The
drawings
of
eighty-two choice
author
as
was
well
Tzii-ching,
known
and old
scholar
as
and "a
as
this
skilful
painter of landscapes
trees,
plum and of orchids." The original of MS. was unfortunately destroyed in a fire at Whiteley's, but I have seen a copy of it, made with Chinese fidelity (illustrations and all), which is in the possession of Dr. Bushell,
of the flowering
and a translation of its text is included in each of the works This catalogue throws by Dr. Bushell before referred to. much light on the taste of the Chinese connoisseur of the
time, the kinds of porcelain
most
to its
prized,
date.
free
which were then most rare and and the history of porcelain manufacture down
Dr. Bushell
kindly gave
me
his permission to
make
and other
and
it
will
be seen that
mth
regard to this
Fig.
1.
HEXAGONAL
TEEFLIES.
INTEODUGTION.
catalogue.
Dr.
Hirth's pamphlet
fresh
information
is
derived
documents, and
especially -valuable
study of
trade
old
pottery
India,
far
and porcelain
Persia,
of
China
with
Japan,
Arabia,
as
Borneo,
Zanzibar.
Java,
and
many
other places
south
as
The
charming
material
treatise
and
collectors
of distinction.
The
in 1171.
earliest
collection
we
been quite a
collection "
collection
in those days.
The
Strong,
oldest
of Oriental porcelain
Europe
is
King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, between 1694 and 1705, and is therefore composed mainly, if not
wholly,
of pieces produced during the
period of
K'ang-hsi
Emperor of the present Dynasty. The of porcelain which can be identified as having
few.
little
said to
We
century,
It
unknown in Europe till the when we hear of it in France, Spain, and probably came through Egypt, Morocco, or Venice.
some large porcelain Florence. The oldest piece of
CHINESE POROELAIN.
is
supposed
is
to
be a celadon
Oxford, which
said to
have belonged to
(Archbishop 1504-1532).
Yet
it
may
not
which was be older than some bowls of Oriental china, one of enclosed in massive silver gilt, Moresco pattern," which were given to Sir Thomas Trenchard in 1506 by Philip of Austria
and Joan, who had put into Weymouth and been entertained by Sir Thomas {see Marryat's " History of Pottery and Porcelain,"
The first du-ect conand Hutchins's "History of Dorset"). in Portuguese carried signments of porcelain to Europe were
vessels round the Cape of Good Hope in the sixteenth century, and a few pieces are still in existence in England mounted in
silver-gnt
of
the time of
are
These at
least
white," produced in
Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603). Ming porcelain, principally "blue and the reigns of Chia-ching (1522-1566) and
Wan-li (1573-1619).
'In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, especially the
latter, large quantities of
many
An
at
artificial
kind
of
porcelain
was
first
made
in
Europe
Florence,
close of
at St.
under the
patronage of
the
Medici, towards
the
Rouen and
Cloud
the
from
Delft,
establishment
II. in
Augustus
substitute
Nevers
III. brought with him England a quantity of both the original and the Dutch imitations, some of which is stiU to be seen at Hampton
William
Court Palace.
do not propose here to trace the history step by step, but all who
Fig.
2.
MiNa
blue
and
white,
MOUNTED
IN ELIZABETHAN
SILVER GILT.
INTBODUOTION.
-are
how
china
in those
days.
And somewhat
later did
Lamb
write
" I
China.
When
inquire for the china closet, and next for the picture gallery "
If
follows,
the
were
Chinese
not
blue
pretty
what he Dresden
sought in
figures
or
and
white, "those
little,
lawless, azure-tinctured
float about,
perspective,"
was
established,
it is
made
European market.
in
In the
first place,
demand
Europe
where
themselves to
go out of
their country,
it
scarce.
What Ming
and white of the Wan-li period, of which there was abundance; and Dr. Bushell tells us that' no specimens
pieces of blue
of one class of
Ming
porcelain,
till
between the
in
and
the
modern
collector.
The countess
Hogarth's
knew
little
bought
because
it
and took its age for granted. The collector of thirty years ago was very different. He wished to combine both antiquity and beauty, and thought that the same rule applied to porcelain as to some other objects of art, viz. that beauty was a sign of age.
There was
much
produced
OHINESB POBGELAIN.
Ming Dynasty,
; ;
(1426e.g. Hsiian-t^ the by prized speciaUy 1435) and Ch'eng-hua (1465-1487) were were market the Chinese, and that most of the finest pieces in
of these Emperors.
all
It
is
now,
known
that nearly
made
to
belonged a monarch of the present Dynasty (1662-1722) and of the instead centuries eighteenth the seventeenth and
It is evident
from the catalogue of Tzii-ching that even before the close of the Ming Dynasty fine old pieces of the best periods were exceedingly scarce in China, and they
fifteenth.
rarer
still
Emperor
Ch'ien-
Lung
by Dr. BusheU
Yueh-chou porcelain* of the Li Dynasty of T'ang is no longer extant. The Imperial ware of the Chao house of Sung is rare as stars at dawn. Yet the ancient ritual vessels t of Yin and Chou abound in the present day Their material, bronze, is stronger ; vessels of clay are more fragile. But though strong and rude they last, the weak and polished perish So honest worth wears well in daily life, and should be ever prized. The Chu Dynasty of Ming, going back from to-day, is not so far remote And the artistic gems of Hsiian J and Ch'6ng may be seen occasionally. Their brilliant polish and their perfect colouring are universally lauded, And among them the " chicken " winecups are the very crown of all. The Mutan peonies under a bright sun opening in the balmy spring The hen and chicken close together, and the cock in all his glory, With golden tail and iron spurs, his head held straight erect. In angry poise ready for combat, as if he heard the call of Chia Ch'ang.
;
clever artist has rendered all the realistic details In a style handed down from old time, varying in each period But I will think only in my own mind of the ancient odes of Ch'i, And not dare to cherish personal ease when it is time to rise early.
;
The
lectors
*
Some disappointment was no doubt caused when they were forced to the conclusion
Yueh-yao, a blue porcelain made at Yueh-chou.
to
many
col-
that
some of
Fig.
3-
polychrome
vase,
with
oaded grounds.
INTBOSUOTION.
their pieces, so fondly prized as true Ming, were probably
later,
much
but
this
and that
Collectors
may
now
no guarantee of
and
that,
even
if
guarantee of beauty.
genuine or not,
But date marks are not the only sign of age, and, whether may be some guide to the character of the pieces
piece
glaze,
it
is
if it is
you to what subsequent period I have said on I wUl only say that this subject in other parts of this book connoisseurship in this direction has not made any great advance at present for want of historical knowledge, the opportunity for comparing a large number of doubtfiil specimens, and on
tell
belongs.
But
The
and
it
is
Indeed, collectors of
Historical
little
all
kinds
may
and
^Esthetic
though
the greater
number have a
collectors
of both
spirits.
Certainly most
modern English
G. Salting, have
10
CHINESE POBOELAIN.
is
Franks
porcelain whose sympathies were predominantly historical. collection of Mr. George Salting, now lent to the Victoria
The
and
Albert
Museum
at
at the British
Museum,
South Kensington, and the Franks collection are complements of each other, and
almost
perfect
together afford an
opportunity
of
studymg
For completeness
probably the finest
difficult to
Franks collection
is
and
would be very
these, or those of
M. Grandidier (Louvre),
New
York, not
are
mention
others, are
difficult,
now
At
least the
attempt can
made by
To such
book
will
be of slender service,
on collecting
who
it
desire to possess
and beautiful
ones.
To these
it is
possible to
make
I
at a reasonable cost.
do not say
easy to do
taste I
this, for it
needs
taste,
By
do not mean
which leads
man
he
likes
it,
and
he
does not.
No
one
an art collector in the truest sense who does simple but essential rule. He may need the
is
advice of others in questions of authenticity, price, etc., but the impulse to acquire should come from within. Otherwise his collection, however fine, will be a part of his goods and chattels,
not of himself
he
may be proud
of
it
but
it will
never yield
him
to the casual spectator this exercise of individual taste will give a collector
interest.
Even
The
taste
may
^
Fig.
INTRODUOTION.
for
11
form or colour,
it
may
be as eccentric as
it
it
mark
As
a character and an
existence of
own.
what is finest and what is next fine is often a very slight one to ordinary uninformed sight, and the best judge may be said to be the man
difference between
The
who has
To take
a class of Chinese porcelain which has special attractions for the English collector
mean
" blue
the
variations in
infinite,
second
sees
best,
not only
when he
sees
them
together,
them by themselves.
only to
Much may
is
be done by
examination of
fine collections,
but there
no way so sure as
own that you can live with from and handle as much as you like. It is not necessary that the pieces you possess for such training purposes should be " important specimens," or even perfect. The very finest blue
the possession of one of your
day
to day,
can be found in the v$ry smallest pieces (perhaps the so-called hawthorn jars are an exception) and a mere fragment is enough There is no reason why a man should not train for a test piece. his eye so perfectly from a collection of small and even broken
pieces, that
forgery.
to
But
he sees
will
He
no
first,
but these
Even
connoisseurs
One
of
had bought
as a
companion
to a
He
12
0HINE8E POBOELAIN.
till
he compared the two minutely. What is true of "blue and white" is also true of glazes and enamels an eye can in either case be thoroughly trained only byj constant and close comparison of many pieces. Nor is it
by the
touch.
Patience
is,
need scarcely
The
a competition of purses),
;
till
whom,
at a
modest
it
price.
bargain
it
is
all
and in stalking
and securing
there
real
and
legitimate "sport."
The
true sportsman
but auction
rooms and shops are fair game, and a man of fine taste and sound knowledge may sometimes secure unexpected treasures, even at Christie's and some of the finest shops. These, indeed, wUl seldom belong to the more fashionable kinds, like briUiant
blue and white or ruby-backed egg-shell plates, but they
still
may
is
be
whose
taste
not
BANK.
13
Part
I.
HISTORICAL.
The
History of Chinese Porcelain
may
great periods.
Period
I.,
of
which no
specimens
exist,
from
when porcelain was discovered to the Sung Dynasty, which commenced in a.d. 960. Period II., from the commencement of the Sung Dynasty to the commencement of the Ming Djniasty, when there
the disputed date
all
colour
was
Period
III.,
the
over-glaze
enamels was
Period
I.
Before
a.d. 960.
As no specimens
Dynasty
(a.d. 960),
exist,
ot
the
commencement
of
the
Sung
of porcelain before this date consists principally in the solution of a few doubts.
of these
is
was
first
invented
meaning
14
0EINE8E POnOELAIN.
showing an incipient vitrification of the mass and transluciA in both these It differs from nearly all pottery or faience
respects,*
and
from
stoneware
in
being translucid.
The
Chinese are not so particular; they apply their equivalent for so that porcelain {Tz'u) to stoneware which has a good ring
;
if it should be discovered beyond doubt when 2V" was first made, we should still be in doubt as to the date of the discovery of porcelain, as that word is used in Europe.
There
ring,
is
no doubt that a
vitrified stoneware,
with a good
much
was made in China before what we call porcelain, and of comparatively late Chinese ware, which is covered with
and
difficult to distinguish if
unbroken.
The claims
put forward by
commenced a reign of one hundred years and the legendary Emperor Yu-ti-Shun is stated to have himself made porcelain before he ascended the throne in
who
is
stated to have
b.c.,
in 2697
2255
B.C.
(KoseUini
/ monumenti
deU'
1834), but
their
title
to such remote
antiquity was
in a grass or
destroyed by their
own
inscriptions,
till
which were
B.C.,
and were quotations from poems written during the T'ang Dynasty (a.d. 618-906).
48
We have something
was made during
We have
Ho
made under
may have
approached very
nearly to porcelain
(1) a green porcelain manufactured under Chou, or Ho-Kuei-lin, president of the Board of Works, as a
lost
The
god of
longevity.
HISTOBIGAL.
and
(2) a
15
ware produced by a
(a
man named
T'ao-Yti,
which was
glass).
like jade
The reputed name of the workman means " pottery jade," and is probably the name of the ware and not of its maker, unless
it
was a nickname.
At the close of the Sui or the beginning of the T'ang Dynasty a porcelain, white in colour and bright as jade, was made by Ho Chung-ch'u, a workman who came from Hsin-p'ing, a district
in the State of Ch'en, corresponding with the
modern Huaidifferent
ning
district in
Honan
province.*
of
porcelain
are
enumerated, called
after
the
where they were manufactured Hung-yao, Shou-yao, Yo-yao, Wu-yao, Ting-yao, Yueh-yao, and Shu-yao.
places
Some
of these yaos
may
call porcelain,
but the Shu-yao, made at the city of Ta-i in the department of K'iung-chou, in the (present) Sze-chuan province, probably
deserved this name, as
it is described as snow-white in colour, with a clear ring, thin but strong, and graceful in shape.
Finally,
as to the
manufacture of true
Reinaud, VoL
fine clay
I.,
p. 34.
"There
he
make
vases,
* This ia an incorrect geographical identification hy M. Stanislas Julien which has led most subsequent writers astray. Hsin-p'ing, as I haye shown at some length in my " Oriental Ceramic Art," was the old name of the district in the province of Kiangsi,from 621 to 716, which was afterwards called Fou-liang Hsien, and has kept this same name from 742 to the present day. This district, which is mentioned in the contemporary annals of the T'ang Dynasty as having furnished supplies of porcelain for the imperial court as early as the seventh century, has been the seat of the imperial potteries since the year 1004, when Ching-te-ohen was founded there. It is the chief source of kaolin in China, and the other materials used in the manufacture of porcelain are found in the vicinity, so that it is quite possible that the early production known at the time as "artificial jade" was intrinsically of the same nature as the translucent kaolinic pottery which we call "porcelain." S. "W. B.
16
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
:
as bottles
water
is
of clay."
If the invention of porcelain dates
the antiquity of that beautiful substance M. Stanislas Julien, the well-known is very respectable. translator from the Chinese of the History of King-te-tchin (or,
ninth century
(a.d.),
it,
Ching-tS-ch^n), placed
it
in the
Han
Dynasty (206 B.C. to A.D. 220), and conjectures that it occurred between 185 B.C. and a.d. 87 but most later authorities, like du Sartel, Dr. Hirth, M. Grandidier, and Dr. Bushell, refer it to
;
On
clings to
it
was during
the
(t'ao),
the
Han Dynasty
to
that
the
word
t'zii,
now used by
pottery
Chinese
first
distinguish
porcelain
from
was
used.
Even with the descriptions of porcelain made under the T'ang Dynasty, and the following five short-lived Dynasties,
907 to 959, the collector has
times.
little
The majority
is
known
and white
the After
Chou Dynasty,
porcelain
clear
sky
It
when
it
became
exceedingly rare, bits of it were treasured and used as cap ornaments or pendants to necklaces. It was called Ytt-yao, "Imperial porcelain," and after the accession of the next
Fig.
7.
HI8T0BI0AL.
17
period
itself,
(i.e.
before 960),
the foundation
by imperial decree
1007),
who
established
another
factory
made
there,
and
gradually
became almost the only place where the fabrication of artistic china was carried on. But, during the Sung Dynasty, artistic porcelain was still made at many places. Imperial factories
were established at
K'ai-fSng in
Pien-liang,
the
present
department
of
Honan
made
when
Peeiod
II.
(960-1367).
(960-1279).
(1280-1367).
colours,
but the
celadons predominated so
much
that
it
may
not improperly be
termed the Celadon period. They were made at several places and appear to have been of various tints and quahties, pale green, bluish green, deep onion, grass green, and the superior
These have been imitated kind of imperial ware, emerald. over and over again from that time to this, and it would appear
to
those produced at Lung-ch'uan, which had this peculiarity paste was of fine white clay, but where exposed to the
The
the
fire
They are therefore by a ferruginous ring on the base or foot where they were unglazed. There are some celadons made of clay which is
imglazed portions turned a rusty red.
identified
18
itself red,
OSINESE PORCELAIN.
and many imitations in which the clay is white and the red ring has been artificially coloured but it is said by Dr.
;
Hirth that the pure Lung-ch'lian can easily be distinguished from all imitations. The same peculiarity seems, however, to
later
celadons
made by
the brothers
Chang. The older Lung-ch'iian dates from the end of the tenth or the beginning of the eleventh century, the celadons of the brothers Chang (Ko-yao, or Chang-yao) to the twelfth century,
but
seem to have been produced in the Lung-ch'ttan district. But the most beautiful of all the celadons, superior to the imperial (Kuan-yao) and the Ko, were called pi-yao, and made at Juchou.* Although the modern collector is not likely to come across any specimen of the rarer or more delicate kinds
all
Sung celadons, he may be interested in reading descripsome of them by a Chinese connoisseur of the sixteenth century, when there were a few pieces left.
of the
tions of
"
Incense Burner.
porcelain of the
ears
Ting of Ta Euan porcelain, i.e. imperial Sung Dynasty. Of rounded form with loop
and three
up with
thunder-scroll
Taken [that is, the shape and decoration taken] from the same collection of ancient bronzes as No. l.t The glaze is of a pale green colour, clear and lustrous,
emerald in
tint,
like a precious
marks
saw
it
example of the
of the palace.
I
came out
Nanking, at the palace of the Governor, Chu Hung, Grand Tutor. (H. 4 in., diam. 4 in.) 2."
"
Ink Pallet.
made
Kuan
is
porcelain,
like that of a
it
on
* The Buddhist lustration vase illustrated in Plate I. is given on the best Chinese authority as an example of Juchou porcelain of the Sung Dynasty. S. W. B.
t See page 2 J.
PLATE
La/rge
III.
Painted in shaded
with a picture of the Taoist genii worshipping the god of longevity. Shou Lao, with a nimbus encircling his protuberant head, is seated with two attendants on a rock shadowed by pine and prunus trees, surrounded by his
attributes,
deer,
is
tortoises,
and storks
Taoist paradise
ground, the eight genii (jpa hsien) occupying the foreground, while the twin merry genii and many other saints
of the Taoist pantheon are represented on the back of the
Conventional floral borders complete the decoration. Underneath, within a sunk panel, is pencilled in blue the inscription Ta Ming Chia ching nien chih " Made in the reign of Chia-ching (1522-66) of the Great Ming
vase.
(Dynasty)."
CH. 21
in.)
{Buahell Collection.)
HI8T0BIGAL.
the waU.
19
An
oval
is
left
the ink on, showing the red paste; below, the margin glazed
;
un-
the centre
is
and with a mystic diagram above, engraved under the glaze, which is of light green colour and coarsely crackled. (L. 5^ in.,
br.
4
"
'
in.)
8."
Pencil Rest. Yen Shan, of Sung Dynasty Ko porcelain in the form of a peaked hill, from a bronze design of the
Han
"
in.)
11."
Kao
Lung Ch'Uan
porcelain.
Decorated
and polyporus heads on the body, a formal leaf pattern round the knob on the cover, defined in deep emerald green, on a ground of pale green
the tint of fresh moss.
"
(H. 4
in.)
12."
Vase,
Kii,
of
slender horn-like
called
Ju
beaker
shape]
with
ornaments
in
relief,
grotesque
heads with
scrolls
plates
is
and bowls.
perfect
it
excels both
Euan and Ko
valuable.
I
it is
more
saw
Huang
19."
me
"Vase
ch'ing
porcelain.
Of
hexagonal
formal
form
sprays
lobed border,
flowers,
decorated
in
panels
with
plum
like
carved in
relief
20
CHINESE POBGELAIN.
Thus Hsiang Yuan-p'ien, who flourished during the second
styled Tzii-ching,
a native of
Chia-ho.
The foregoing
extracts are
script called "Illustrated Description of Celebrated Porcelain of Different Dynasties," which has been translated by Dr.
Bushel!
figured
in
work,
forty-two are
referred
to
the Sung
to the Ming.
Of the Sung
are imperial
pieces
are celadons,
ten of
which
three
(Euan
eleven
Lung-ch'iian,
It
Ju,
and
of
Ko
wiU be observed
Ju
porcelain
is
vase
of
it
almost
Most
of
the
specimens
were
crackled, the
are
The decoration of
indeed of
Sung
porcelain,
celadons, and was confined to engraving and and though the terms painting
it
Tzii-ching,
is
evident that
he
only to
the application
of
glaze for the sake of variety or for the emphasis of certain parts of the engraved pattera
lines
The
of the engraved
latter,
as
The coloured
period
were
pale
by the French clair de lune), white, purple and black, red, deep blue, and glazes variegated in colour by accidental
changes in the kiln. The pale blue was probably an imitation of the ShLh-tsung, or Ch'ai " blue as the clear sky after rain "
colour. It
is
also
the celadons.
But such pieces of the pale blue of the Sung Dynasty as have survived are clearly of a pale cobalt blue tinged with
HI8T0BI0AL.
lavender, or light purple from
21
manganese*
The
pieces
are
"
colour
sometimes
approaching red.
where
and black were produced from 1111 to 1125. This was afterwards called Pei-ting or Northern Ting, to distinguish it from the ware of the same description afterwards made at Hang-chou, which was called Nan-ting or
brilliant white, purple,
Southern Ting.
It
often
had marks
like
tears,
due,
it
is
(souffld).
The white
in
Tzii-ching's
plentiful,
then
He
Incense
Burner.
Sung Dynasty
(960-1279).
relief
Copied from
Wen Wang
It
figured in
was
made
and
ting
is
perfectly fashioned,
silk.
The
uni-
breadth, aU
The
glaze
is
mutton
such as
is,
It It
was
shown
to
me
stand and cover carved out of fragrant hgn-aloes, (H. 4| in., diam. 3| lizard of precious green jade.
"
*
had a crowned by a
in.)
1."
Incense Burner.
Ting, of purple
left-hand
The typical colour is shown in the small vaae comer of Plate I.S, W. B.
22
CHINESE POBGELAIN.
Sung Dynasty. Of form similar to the last, taken from the K'ao ku t'ou, the body engraved with grotesque heads and scroll
border above, a band of cicada-like foliations below.
Covered
generally
The Ting-chou
fine
porcelain
is
decorated with a white glaze, the purple and black glazes being
example of the purple variety as this I bought it for ten taels of silver at Peking is seldom seen. from a dealer exhibiting at the Buddhist temple, Pao kuo sstt.
rarer.
much
Such a
(H. 3|
in.,
diam. 4
in.)
3."
"Duck-headed Vase.
Ting
orifice
Fu Tsun,
of
porcelain.
The black colour is painted on the head and neck, gradually fading away on the body of the vase, which is enamelled white. The black glaze is extremely rare in Ting-chou porcelain.
my whole
life.
35."
The
place at which the greatest variety of colours was proTzii-ching says, "
Here were produced variegated vases, also called yao pien, or " transmu" tation vases, by the Chinese, and flamhi by the French {see page 61). In the great Walters collection at New York is a
by Dr. Bushell to this factory, which is of a very deep blue, clouded and streaked with bright red. According to the T'ao shuo, or Treatise on Pottery, as translated by
flower pot ascribed
Among
most beautiful"; the and boxes, square vases and were considered inferior on account of their
mSTOBIOAL.
yellowish,
23
sandy
paste.
it
From
is
of
pieces
by
Tztl-ching,
much
time.
and had increased in estimation in process of seem to have attempted innovations in both design and decoration, a dangerous thing to do in so
in quality
The
potters of Chtln
upon
as failures.
Hsiao Tsun, of Sung Dynasty Chiin porcelain, of globular form, with two boldly designed phoenixes moulded in
high
relief as handles, iaterrupting
"Small Jar.
mented medallions. The source of the design is unknown and probably was original, yet the workmanship and form are alike excellent, such as certainly could not have come from a common
artificer.
Chlin-chou porcelain
is
Sung
vase,
good
colour,
and
fine
if
marked
wu
lET
It is
(five),
an additional proof
in
happUy
my own
collec-
(H. 3|
20."
"
lain,
Miniature Bottle.
P'ing, of
porce-
Glaze of a
vulgarly called
tiniest of
ass's
Hver
'
or
'
horse's lungs.'
This
is
one of the
fit
high,
to hold a pearl
30."
ture of porcelain
Under the Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty (1280-1367) the manufacis said to have deteriorated, but little is known
it.
about
After
naming the
different wares
(p.
produced under
this
408)
"
No
specimens of these
the
am
aware, survived to
and among those which Chinese connoisseurs now be real products of the Yuan Dynasty one seldom sees
24
0SINE8E POBGELAIN.
red any but such as are of a uniform whitish purple, with deep as only, it of piece one but Tzft-ching describes splashes.
foUows
"Small Bottle-shaped Vase. Hsiao P'ing, of Shu-fu* body porcelain of the Yuan Dynasty (1280-1367), with globular
and expanded, garhc-shaped mouth. Decorated with dragons quaintly in the midst of clouds and lion's-head handles, aU engraved in the paste under a white glaze. The porcelain of our own [Ming] dynasty of the reigns of Yung-lo and Hsuan-te| decorated with patterns engraved under a white glaze, was made The Shu-fu porcelam itself was after this imperial porcelain.
copied from the Ting chou porcelain of the Northern Sung Dynasty, and this bottle in its paste and form, in the colour of the glaze, and in the engraved design,
piece.
is
In outline and
hbrary table
or dwarf
collection.
to
lily,
chrysanthemum.
(H. 4 m.)
also
from
my own
21."
it is
Although
may
such an event
will aid
still
exist, especially of
and
Tzii-ching's descriptions
so, or,
him
in identifying
them
he does
at all events, in
He should remember
that
not, in the
and that
over
often
it.
their colour
glaze, neither
under nor
The cups were without saucers or handles, and were raised on a stem Uke a tazza. A great number of the
and flower
vases, objects hitherto
made
of bronze.
* See
t
Mark No. 58. These might also have been copied from bronzes.
Fig.
HI8T0BI0AL.
Period
III.
25
(1368-1643).
(1368-1643).
Ming Dynasty
During the long and famous native Dynasty of the Mings the
manufacture of porcelain progressed and flourished
both
to
skill of
greatly.
In
have grown to
manhood, though
it
yet
to acquire.
duced during this Dynasty, but the manufacture of what we call "blue and white" so predominated that it may not be improperly called the " Blue and white " period in the same sense as I have called the previous Dynasties the Celadon period.* There is probably no " blue and white " porcelain of an earlier
Yuan dynasty
in the departments of
Fu-chou and Chien-chang, and both these descriptions (called Liu-ch'ttan-yao and Nan-f6ng-yao respectively) are said to have been preferred to the productions of Ching-t^-chen. If this be true, it would account for the popularity of similar decoration
in the early years of the
Ming Dynasty.
In 1369 a special
fine quality
was produced
for magistrates.
Emperor ordered
mark
of
name
of the
Dynasty
also.
Similar
there
is
mark
of
Yuen-fung (1078-1086), but the genuineness of this is very doubtful, and for practical purposes date marks may be taken
as
commencing with Hung-wu (1368-1398). In this reign the and the purest white, and among the
must at the same time be always remembered that most of the blue and and the celadon also, in modem collections, were made during the present Dynasty, which commenced in 1614.
white,
: ;
26
CHINESE POBOELAIN.
among
the clouds
flowers of the
Nymphsea
lotus
ornamented with four blue dragons in the waves of the rising tide sporting arranged in an arch,
blue flowers
;
(5) jars
Museum
"No.
mark
of
Himg-wu.
Chinese
Vase, six-sided, of
a barrel shape.
brown under the glaze. (H. 8 J in.) "No. 782. Eight-sided Dish.
in
man
crossing a
bridge
round
this a
and
them with
etc.,
pale
different patterns,
gazing upwards
(Diam. 13|
in.)
The most celebrated (amongst Chinese connoisseurs) of the Ming periods was that of Yurig-lo (1403-1424). The blue and white porcelain produced in this period was regarded
earlier
stated in
by those of Hsuan-tS The blue employed the annals of Fouliang to have been brought
tribute,
it
Mohammedan country (probably Persia) as and was known as Mohammedan blue, to distinguish
from some
from
called
in
that
of
Ch'eng-hua.
periods
Further
were
obtained
during
the
Ch'^ng-te
(1506-1521)
and Chia-ching
(1522-1566).
PLATE
IV.
covers,
and two
colours."
Beakers, of
"five
The vase
and
fret
borders
a
and children
game
carrying a flag hurrying up to report an imminent defeat, the players absorbed in the
to the
news
a well-known story in China. The beakers are ornamented with boys in mock procession, and with birds and flowers,
over encircling bands of sprays of flowers and
fruit.
The
blue
is
The vase
it
is
marked
Ta
Ming Ch'^ng
is really to
hua nien
chih, but
(H. 13 to
"
EISTOBIOAL.
27
They
are blue
and white
inside,
but outside
also noted.
Pair of Bowls. Chinese porcelain; inside painted in blue; two children, one of them riding a hobbyhorse; outside a brilliant red, with scrolls and flowers of an
842.
"No.
(Diam. 4f
is
in.)
The period
of Yung-lo
which
is
called
or " bodiless."
" Cup, Pei, of Ming Djmasty Yung-lo (1403-1424) porcelain. Of round depressed form, slightly swelUng below, these cups
they are
as
thin
as
'bodiless.'
among
also
clouds faintly
Ta Ming
engraved
Yung
left,
lo
nien
glaze.
chih,
under the
(H. IJ
There are not a few of these wine cups yet they are highly appreciated by collectors of taste.
in.,
d.
in.)
61."
In the Hippisley collection at Washington there are six examples of reputed Yung-lo " egg-shell," five of which are wine They are pure white with (H. If in., diam. 3f in.) cups.
delicate
sides,
is
under the
glaze.
The other
plainly
bowl
way.
(h.
2f
in.,
diam. 8
in.)
The decoration
filled
more
when
they are
with
This
chou of the Sung (see description of a piece of Shu-fu, p. 24). The period of Hsuan-tS (1426-1435) was the most celebrated " on account of the of all the Ming periods for " blue and white Genuine examples are almost unfine Mohammedan blue.
known, or at
least unidentified in
all
28
OEINEBE PORCELAIN.
have pieces which bear the mark
"
collections
of
the period.
In the
Louis
and white held by the Burlington 1895, there was a bowl (No. 32) lent by Mr.
Huth which
mark
of Hsiian-te.
It was painted with a soft pale blue of unusual greyish tint, and was distinguished also by the freedom and freshness of the
decoration.
"
Deep Basin, with chrysanthemums and various other flowers, Hzards, insects, and bamboo, very delicately drawn in pale blue."*
In the often-quoted album of Tzti-ching
five pieces of Hstian-
It may be noted tS blue and white are described and depicted. from the following descriptions that the glaze of this period was sometimes marked with faint miUet-like elevations, and that the blue is described as " brilliant," " dazzling," and " deep."
"
Miniature Vase.
P'ing, of
Ming Dynasty
Hslian-te (1426-
1435) porcelain.
Mohammedan
Ta Ming
A ring
as
by the
inscription
Hslian-te
nien
chih,
in
characters fine
mosquito claws.
my
shelf since
was a
"
child,
more than
fifty years,
it is
growing old
31."
with me.
Jar, in the form of a goose,
of the
Ming Dynasty.
to
Tea-cup.
porcelain.
Dynasty. Painted in blue the gnarled trunk like a coiled dragon, with lifelike orchids and fungus springing from the grass beneath, from
* See also p. 81.
Han
pale,
The characteristics of Hauan-te blue appear to have been but in that and other periods no doubt there -was a deep as well as a pale blue.
Fig.
HI8T0BIGAL.
the pencil evidently of a celebrated landscape painter.
glaze
is
29
The
fat,
and
dazzling,
I
quality.
from Mohammedan blue enamel of the first bought four of these tea-cups for ten taels from a
Wu-hsing.
(Diam. 2^
in.)
collector at
"
48."
Sacrificial Vessel.
Yi, of Ming
lain.
Of bronze design, the oval body with broad lip projecting one end supported by four straight cyUndrical feet; the prominent cover with horned dragon's head moulded in relief
at
lip.
in
faint
millet-like
scroll bands.
elevations.
large,
example of the reign, which I got from a collector of Wu-m^n, in exchange for six vols, of manuscript verse by a
poet of the
Yuan Dynasty.
"
(H. 5
in.)
68."
"
blue
"
of Hsiian-tS, the
more
highly.
So
brilliant
was
it
that Tztt-ching
rubies.
no doubt erroneously, that it was derived from powdered It was sometimes used to colour the glaze, sometimes for painted decoration under the colourless glaze. Specially celebrated were the cups with red fish or peaches on a white ground, or with red dragons in high relief coiled round the top.
It is variously described in the following descriptions as " the
" brilliant
and
" vermilion,"
copper
silicate.
The
prices paid
specimens of
it
in
following descriptions
moulded
fruit is
The
raised
marks
green
30
CHINESE POBOELAIN.
I
Wu-
men.
"
Wine
10."
(1426-1435)
Of
is
elegant
form, copied from a carved jade wine pot used by the Emperor.
The body,
decorated
spiral
and spout
In the
in the
reign of Hsiian-te the deep red was the colour most esteemed,
and red precious stones from the west were powdered among
the materials of the glaze, so that after baking in the
brilliant red colour
kUn
the
eyes.
The piece figured is from the Huang, General of the Guards in Pekiag, who told me that he had bought it for 200 ingots of silver in paper notes* [nominally about 600, Bushell] from one of the chief eunuchs
other porcelain rivals
collection of
No
of the palace.
"
(H. 6| in.)
40."
Ming dynasty Hsiian-te porcelain. Moulded in the shape and size of a persimmon fruit [Diospyros Of deep red colour, with a small spout of the same schitze].
Pot,
of
tint
;
Rouge
Lu Hu,
on the red ground of the fruit, the cover being the calyx of four segments surmounted by the stalk.
leaves executed in relief
The red
true to Kfe.
had
at this period, so
much
less.
S.
W.
B.
"
BEAKEE,
HI8T0BICAL.
Decorated
31
with three
driven snow, the fish boldly outlined and red as fresh blood,
of a brilliant red colour dazzling the eyes: truly
a precious
specimen of
the glaze,
this
rare kind
of porcelain.
The
bought
foot is level
beneath, with a
faintly
I
engraved under
it
for twentyin.)
(H. 8
in., d.
64."
porcelain.
Tazza-shaped Cup, Pa Pel, of Ming Dynasty Hstian-te Of the same shape and size as No. 64, decorated with These cups three pairs of peaches in red on a white ground.
are very rare, only two or three being
known
four seas.
"
Conical Wine Cup, Tou 11 Pel, of Ming Dynasty Hsiian-te porcelain. Of white ground decorated inside and out with
cloud-scroUs
engraved in the
;
paste,
scroll
border above
coloured crimson
in high rehef, coiled round the cup, with teeth and fore-claws
fixed in the rim, enamelled vermilion red.
and a hundred
a
taels is
much
to
pay
for
specimen.
"
figure
Lieutenant-Governor of Nanking.
te
Palace Kice Bowl, Eung Wan, of Ming Dynasty Hstian(1426-1435) porcelain. Of gracefully modelled shape, with
foot,
small
decorated with
vermilion
This
is
figured
from
69."
diam. 7
in.)
In
of decoration
by
and
baking
it,
up
shown
in transparency.
32
CHINESE POBGELAIN.
During the reign of Ch'^ng-hua (1465-87) the supply of "Mohammedan" blue failed, and polychrome decoration was
preferred.
green, yellow,
and sometimes red) and partly with coloured and purple brown, but there was
red,
or
no
Wan-U*
of
used in description
always
of
ware
that
period
it
almost
means
piece.
the unglazed
apologise
to
body
the
for
that I ought
to
Dr.
Bushell
such
but the following are too valuable to omit " Wine Pot, Hu, of Ming Dynasty Ch'eng-hua (1465-1487)
:
porcelain.
original
design,
moulded in The
brown
staUc
make
and slender
pale
relief,
yellow
ground.
was most highly valued; the designs were drawn in the palace by celebrated artists, and the different colours This specimen in its laid on and shaded with perfect skill. Holds about every detail is a wonderful copy of nature.
in colours
li pints of wine.
"
(H. 5
in., d.
in.)
38."
Wine
1487) porcelain.
flower,
Moulded
in
This
is
the opinion, of Dr. Bushell, but Mr. Hippisley has four egg-shell enamel colours above the glaze which he
ascribes to Ch'6ng-hua (Nos. 296 to 299), and Mr. Richard Mills showed a large vase and cover at the Burlington Fine Arts Club in 1895 (No. i), which had the mark of Chia Ching, which was decorated with red and yellow fish
{see
p. 77).
Fig.
HISTORICAL.
brown branched stem with a few small green
d.
33
leaves.
(H. 2
in.,
2^
"
in.)
49."
Tazza-shaped Cup, Pa
porcelain.
lip.
(1465-1487)
slightly
everted
white ground;
a vine
with
leaves
and
tendrils
of bright
in
perfect
taste
Such a
that
rare
reign
one
in
not
regret
crimson,
the
inscription,
is
Ta Ming Gh'gng-hua
nien chih.
Wang
for
is
said
to
have bought
(H. 2i
"
in., d.
it
60
Hsiian ch'Ing.
56."
2^
in.)
and
Of rounded form,
and
The
and crawling mantis are minutely painted after Ufe, in green, These are choice specimens of the yellow, and crimson enamel. wine cups of this celebrated reign, and are valued at 100 taels
the pair, yet
now even
in.,
for this
money
it is
impossible to get
of General
59."
them.
collection
Huang.
diam. 2
in.)
of
Ming Djmasty
A broad leaf vessel of which is hollowed out to hold the oil. upon a long curved stalk ^erhangs the lamp, balanced by a smaller leaf opposite. The red of the flower and the green
colour of the leaves are artistically shaded.
(H. 7
in.)
81.
34,
CHINESE FORGELAIN.
It
would appear from these descriptions that there was a great progress in naturalistic decoration during these reigns, that flowers and insects were the object of fresh studies, and
that the best painters were
employed
to
make
designs, if not to
During the reign of Hung-chih (1488-1505), says Tzu-ching, hght yellow was the colour most highly valued, but enamelling There were several shades in other colours was also employed.
of yellow.
to
YeUow
glazes were
pieces
of
this
But
"
in
this
which are figured by the freshly husked reign the Governor of Ytmnan
period
glaze
of
succeeded in obtaiuing
suppKes of the
Mohammedan
So
it.
blue,
and
"
came
fine
was
were made of
In the
Franks
collection
is
Two
brilliant
is
mentioned.
preferred
te blue,
cobalt, as the
and the best was a mixture of the foreign and native former was apt to " run " in baking. There is no
was too
modem
then, but
it
is
much
prized now.
The
Mohammedan
this reign,
and finally disappears from Chinese ceramic history. In the Exhibition of Blue and White Oriental Porcelain at the Burlington Fine Arts Club were two large pieces of blue and white with the mark of
"4.
this reign.
and Cover. Decorated with various water-plants in blue, and yeUow fish over the
A Broad
Circular Vase
PLATE
V.
Some
of the parts
being
unglazed the coarse porcelain shows up biscuitcoloured. On the body is a landscape with mounted
left
and a crossbow others are in civilian costume, one Above is a band of pseonies, and below a border of conventional fret. Carved wood cover and stand.
spear,
;
carrjong a lyre.
(H. 12J
25, '83.)
in.,
diam. 13f
in.)
(Victoria
and
Albert
Museum,
Fig.
12
.PEACH - s hape
TSAI
san-
HISTORICAL.
glaze
cover."
35
on
the
way on the
Lent by Mr.
R Mills.*
"22.
Circular panels in
C.
Prinsep, RA.-f
The
to
is
mark
in
the Franks
collection,
some covered with a yellow glaze, Nos. 40, 41, 42 blue and white, No. 1475. Dr. Bushell records that the reign was remarkable for pieces with a mottled blue ground lined with canary and coral decoration, and for blue paintings relieved by red, blue, and yellow. He also notes that very large pieces were then made, some round dishes being over three feet in diameter that a turquoise blue from copper was used; that a coral red glaze produced by roasting crystals of iron sulphate was substituted for the old copper red, and that the designs were principally derived from embroidery and coloured silks. Although the Chia-ching white is generally yellowish, this reign was noted for a ware like white jade, intended for use on
;
;
the palace
altars.
potter
named
his
hved during
is
much
i.e.
by coloured glazes on ware baked but not glazed. The pieces were
older kind of decoration,
washed
" rather
When
relief, or,
would
suflBce to
made
red,
t See
also p. 79.
36
CHINESE POBOELAIN.
and a parrot in the round could be given a green body and maroon wings, and be made to stand on a yellow rock, and
figures could be
surface of a vase
relief,
their places.
making compartments to keep the different colours in The pieces, especially the turquoise pieces, are
There are three splendid
{see Class
Section C).
During the reigns of Lung-ch'ing (1567-1572) and Wan-li much harassed by the Manchu
who
The
very
much
ahke.
The
disorder in the
factories,
failed.
also
Ming porcelain which have reached this country belong. Yet some of the blue is fine in colour, as in some pieces which were lent by Mr. William Agnew to the Burlington Fine Arts Club in 1895. One' of them has the Wan-H mark. These came from Burghley House, and are
believed to have been in the possession of the Cecil family since the time of Queen Elizabeth. If this be so, they cannot be later
than Wan-li.
in painting
The
were sent to
and " five-colour " pieces, and very few of the Europe till within recent years. The "three"
"
duU, of a buff or
nankeen
"
colour,
brownish or mouse to prune colour. To the "five-colour" pieces a red over the glaze and blue underneath it were added
to the " three " colours.
They
are, in
fact, "
HI8T0BI0AL.
37
with other colours added over the glaze. The portions of the design that were meant to remain blue were first painted, and the pieces were then glazed and baked. Then the rest of
the decoration in other colours was
in
added over the glaze and the piece was baked again at a lower temperature. Some specimens with no decoration but the underpainting in blue, with the faces and other parts
enamel
colours,
"left" for
subsequent painting
over the
glaze,
are
in
the
Over-glaze decora-
Hung-chih (1488-1505), and Dr. Bushell states that in the reign and red under-glaze were comwith over-glaze
decoration.
It
is
bined
probable, however,
imperfectly
class of
developed
till
Chinese porcelain,
named famille
verte
have commenced.
it is
same
all
in artistic
collectors
should note
K'ang-hsi period a blue vitreous enamel was used over the glaze.
In Wan-li's time the inequality of glaze-surface, sometimes This unequal compared to orange-peel, was much prized.
surface
is
produced in the
of earlier wares,
which
is
Tztl-ching's album.
The remaining
the
reigns of the
Ming emperors count for little They were constantly at war with
factories at Ching-tS-chen fell into
Manchu
Tatars,
and the
finally closed.
The marks
of T'ien-chi (1621-
There
is
(Nos. 732
38
GEINE8E PORCELAIN.
Period IV.
(1644-1901).
of K'ang-hsi (1662-1722)
and artistic feeling, that of Ch'ien-lung (1736-1795), though with some loss
still
it
greater perfection of
technical execution.
gradually decreased in
merit
till
T'aip'ing rebellion.
till
quite recently, no
is
Chinese porcelain
has been
produced which
worthy the
has been
except
and
rather commercial than artistic, having produced colourable imitations of those old wares which
prices in Europe, such as so-called "
little
realise
high
pieces
hawthorn "
jars
and
of
sang-de-bceuf,
or
"peachblow."
Some
of
the
latest
are
As has
European
two
long reigns
of K'ang-hsi
(1662-1722)
and Ch'ien-lung
They comprise nearly every kind of porcelain ever produced in China, including large quantities of blue and white, and are marked with the date-marks of aU the most celebrated reigns, especially those of Hstlan-te (1426-1435) and Ch'eng-hua
1736).
all
kinds of old
its
highest perfection, and in the decoration of porcelain in overglaze vitreous enamels, fired in small kilns (muffle kilns) of
lower temperature.
To
its
this
beautiful series
PLATE
Wine Jug
witli a
VI.
melon-shaped body of octagonal form decoribs, with figures of boys, one in each panel, with a faint suggestion of a landscape above, and alternate sprigs of flowers and symbols below. The neck is decorated^ with flowers, and the upright spout, which is connected with the body by a scroll of porcelain, is roughly pencilled mth scrolls and symbols. The three boys on one side are seated, conjuring and playing music the three on the other passing in procession with music and umbrella. The silver-gilt mounting is English, with hall marks of the year 1585, of the best character of Ehzabethan work of that period, boldly embossed with fruit and flowers. (H. 10 in.) (Victoria
rated in panels, divided by upright
;
and
Albert
Museum,
7915,
'62.)
HISTORICAL.
to pale rose pink
39
refined
saucers,
produced from gold, and also those marvels of and elaborate workmanship, the extremely thin plates,
etc.,
of "egg-shell"
delicately
drawn
silks.
figures
of different
and landscapes surrounded with many " borders " intricate patterns borrowed from woven and brocaded
enamels on metal, and so the period
"
same way
may
it
properly
be called the
have been
glazes,
named the
it
"
Shun-chih
ment plenty
to do without paying great attention to improvements in the ceramic art. The porcelain of the Shun-chih period was of much the same character as that of the Wan-li. But the Tatar conquerors, who were scholars as well as warriors, adopted the civilisation and the culture of the conquered, and the next emperor (K'ang-hsi)
it
to
was never reached before, and has never been reached since. During his long reign of sixty years great advances were ot course made, and the finest pieces belong probably to the latter
such a pitch
of artistic excellence as
it
at Ching-tS-chen were
name
great
in
Chinese ceramic
In composition
it
them
all.
There
is
The term sanggood one, in the Franks collection (No. 44) de-boeuf has been (and often is) applied to other reds and
crimsons, which are streaked with blue in parts, but the sang-
40
0HINB8I! POBOELAIN.
de-bceuf
par
excellence
shows no
blue, it
and deepens into a brownish red.* also produced a fine crackled applegreen, and both the red and the green are called by the Chinese
into flame colour
who
retained
(p.
1688.
Both Franks
is
(p.
8)
and Grandidier
160)
an
is
error.
In Chinese ceramics,
In 1675 the
Wu
San-
was soon
rebuilt,
and
was received from the Palace that it was deemed necessary to appoint a Commission to see that it was properly carried out. A second Commission was appointed in 1682, and in the year afterwards Ts'ang-jang-hsiian was appointed superintendent of the imperial factory. To him is credited the chief honour of the splendid renaissance of ceramic art in China in the reign of
K'ang-hsi.
" Ts'ang-yao," as the porcelain
is called, is rich, thin,
superintendence
"
and
and the
he
an iridescent
green called
produced
fine
monochromes
of other greens
and
yellows,
and
the
sonffli,
or blown
is
on
to
the
pieces
through gauze.
This
souffli blue
famous colour called "powder," or "mazarin," blue, and by the French fouette. "Peach bloom," the colour which now
fetches such extravagant prices, especially in America,
said to have been first produced in the reign of
is
also
Many,
if
who
are
some wine cups of Hsiiaii-te are said to have been of " Catalogue of Walters Collection," p. 164). It is supposed to have been produced by an accident of the kiln on pieces intended to be red. It ig a copper colour, and such an accident may have occurred at any time.
this is doubtful, aa
{aee
t But
this colour
HISTORICAL.
descended from
this emperor,
41
and whose collections have been broken up within recent years. Another glaze-colour, called " metallic," or " mirror " black, was also produced for the first
time in this
blacks,
reign.
It is
much more
and
is
known
is
dead
some-
and
sometimes by cutting a
an
which has been imitated in Persia, Holland, and elsewhere. As has been said, aU, or nearly all, the celebrated
ancient wares were imitated during this reign, including the
" turquoise," " peacock,"
contrast to
the
rich
or
"
and the soft white known as Fen-ting, after the Sung ware of the same name. There were two sorts of Fen-ting, one reticulated with brown lines and sometimes mottled with Hght buff clouds, and the other more delicate, like eggshell,* and approaching the ivory-white of Fuchien, the blanc de Chine (see p. 51) When this Fen-ting is used with blue it becomes
what
is
known
as
" soft
now
so greatly
prized in America.
It is generally crackled.
The ordinary
is is
made
of unequalled
purity in
that
of
paste
and in
The white
less
whiter than
that
ot
the
Ming
period
and
is
chalky than
The blue
of every shade
and of the
palest clair-de-lune
The
employed
*
Fig. 18, a wine cup artistically moulded in the form of a lotus leaf, with a blossom
S.
W.
B.
42
OHINESE POEOELAIN.
kind.
This will be treated more fully in the chapter devoted Here it will be enough to say that to blue and white.
though more delicate and refined than that of the Ming period, K'ang-hsi " blue and white " had a vigour which subsequently It should also be noted here that the blue was declined.
not
"Mohammedan"
greatest
care
and skill were employed in the purification of the cobalt from manganese and other constituents of the ore in which it was
found.
The
gi*eat
decoration.
"
three-
by the Japanese at Kutani, while the " fivecolour pieces differed from the Ming " five colour " in the use The greater of a blue (cobalt) vitreous enamel over the glaze. over-glaze perfection to which painting in enamels was brought was shown especially in the classes called famille verte, and for once it seems that the ceramic art of China gained something from a Japanese initiative. The beautiful, but short-lived, class of Japanese porcelain known to the French as the premiere qualite colorize, with its charming chord of blue, apple-green and red, was made at Hizen in the sevenso cleverly in pottery
"
Chinese
knew how
to
to
paint so
kiln
such perfection.
This
To
in
this reign
belong the
first
descriptions,
by a European, employed
They were written by a Jesuit missionary, Pere d'EntrecoUes, in 1712 and 1722, and were published in
porcelain.
making
" Lettres
Edifiantes et Curieuses."
From
these
we gain some
of
which
at
PLATE
VII.
Small Sang-de-bcBuf Vase. The rich crimson glaze, as described on p. 56, " shoals into a flame colour at the neck of the vase and through a ruby-red to a bro^vnish red (like red sherry) at the base." Its crackled texture is most plainly seen at the top, where the copper-red has been burnt out by the oxidising power of the fire, leaving behind only a
faint greenish tinge.
(H. 6^
in.)
{Victoria
and
Albert
Museum,
6949,
'60.)
HI8T0BI0AL.
43
night so illuminated the hills surrounding the plain in which the town stood that it seemed as some vast city abandoned
to the flames.
"And
bird-like poise
on balanced wing
of King-te-ching,
and
fill
the air
With smoke
uprising, gyre
on gyre,
And
Of
Longfellow
"
K6ramos."
in
The period
style,
of
Yung-chSng (1723-1735)
and
perfect
is
transitional
still
more
delicate
execution.
Dr.
Bushell
vigorous decoration of
until they
K'ang-hsi
down
merge into the half-tints and broken colours which mark the more regular and carefully finished designs of Ch'ienlung. Nien-hsi-yao was in 1727 entrusted with the direction of the imperial factories, and was soon associated with T'ang-
ying,
in the
directorship
about
fifteen
years afterwards.
were
brilliant,
The Nien-yao,
as the porcelain produced by Nien-hsi-yao is called, was (according to Mr. Hippisley) " chiefly monochrome in colourblue, bright
and carmine
silver,"
reds,
celadons,
and of egg
colour,
as bright
as
was
the
In flaTnbe or splashed vases (Yao-pien) great advance made. Contrivance was employed to produce effects
first
which had at
kiln.
By
by
application
of
glazes
to
the
same
piece,
44
CHINESE POBOELAIN.
effects
new more
This is found in patches of more or less regularity, dabbed with spots of yellow, green, purple, and white. It was not, however, invented under Yung-cheng but under K'ang-hsi.
skin."
a great
of old wares of
was in
to the
this
began to
affect
the decoration
This
The Chinese ceramists imitated Limoges enamels and The manufacture of dinner and tea services of special shapes to suit the European market, often
European engravings.
decorated with "armorial
bearings,"
was largely
developed.
class
porcelain
made
for
Chinese concalled
class of painting
or less
famiUe
of
rose,
preponderance
soft
tints.
and
a reddish
violet
appear
Grounds of a lemon yellow to have been introduced in have been used in the so-called
colours
The
the
employed in
as
this
overfor
decoration
were
of
same
those
employed
Yung-chSng was also noted for decoration in pAte-swr-pdie, but perhaps the most remarkable of all the innovations of the reign was the production of a highly
time.
The reign
in imitation of a kind of opaque glass Ku-Yueh.* Hu's glass is what is known as made by * The Chineee character Su cut in two becomes Ku Yueh, hence the name of Ku Tueh Htiim, literally " Ancient Moon Terrace," adopted by Hu as the name of his studio, and affixed as a " mark " to his productions S. W. B.
vitreous
porcelain
Hu
or
PAINTED IN COLOUES.
"
HISTORICAL.
"Chinese
used
are
are
for
glass,"
45
now
semi-transparent substance, those snuff-bottles and other small articles which so highly prized by collectors. The finest specimens
of
that
beautiful
fashion.
colours carved cameo Emperor Yung-cheng expressed his high admiration of their beauty, but at the same time a regret that it should not be possible to obtain the same brilliant transparency upon a ground of porcelain, and that
It
is
composed
layers
of different
The
result
of a porcelain
of exceptional brilliancy,
which
is
very rare
Some
pieces
Ku
in
Yueh
red, "
\i.e.
Hsiian,"
The
earlier
marked generally
on the
later,
"
Ta Ch'ing nien
chih," or "
Made during
;
Made
and
this
engraved
on
In
the the
foot
with
thick
are
bright
blue
enamel
(Nos.
Hippisley
collection
nine
specimens
328 to 336) of
most
glass-like
of all porcelains.
much
of which
is
prized
by
collectors
its
decoration,
ship.
on account of the refined beauty of, its and perfect workmancomparison with that of K'ang-hsi
its
It fails, however, in
and insistence on complete symmetry. It is therefore comand uninterestiug, notwithstanding its excellence in technique. The "blue and white" of this reign
carefully
is
executed, but
the decoration
is
generally con-
inclined to
chalkiness.
The famous
reign
Besides making the was T'ang-ying, as already mentioned. celebrated glass-like porcelain he restored the " Chiln-chou
porcelain of the
tints of turquoise
46
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
glaze,
and succeeded in making again the large dragon fish-bowls, which had not been sent up to Peking for the imperial gardens since the Ming period. He was also the author of "Twenty Illustrations of the Manufacture of and rose red
Porcelain,"
which are of great value and interest. They have been translated by Dr. BusheU, and published in his great book. Elaborate and naturalistic floral decoration was also carried On a flower pot in the Walters to a pitch unknown before.
collection (Fig. 280) are painted
roses,
fir,
bamboo, prunus,
narcissus,
guerites,
other
Other pieces called flowers which have no English names. " Hundred flower " vases have their surface entirely covered with
leaf
and blossom
This kind of
The reign
of Ch'ien-lung
is
also
known
to the
reds,
and the
invention of some
as " robin's
egg
"
and
tea dust."
China cuhninated in
this reign
Amongst other
also, at least in
and bronze overlaid with all kinds of ^afiwa. They imitated pattern and colour, bottles of Venetian glass.
from the plain
" self-glazed "
On
material,
and from the simple surface elaborate modellings, carvings, and perforations.
most
Some
of
HISTOBIOAL.
47
he was feeble and dissolute, and there is no new invention or special improvement to be assigned to this period. Tao-kuang (1821-1850), the second son of Chia-ch'ing, tried to
reform the abuses and the laxities of his father's reign, but his
difficulties
were increased by the war with France and England, and afterwards by the T'aip'ing rebellion. He, however, managed to bestow some attention on the ceramic industry, and the pieces
made
for his
own
use,
and marked with the name of his palace by collectors. The bowls made in in the trade "Peking bowls," which have a
ground of red enamel with reserves decorated with sprays of flowers and fruit, would fetch ten guineas a pair at Christie's a few years ago. Other colours pink, yellow, blue, and French
grey
were
also
The
"
The productions
of
Tao-kuang's
1851-1861] are marked by rapid decadence, and the rebels, when they overran Kiangsi province, having entirely destroyed
Ching-te-ehen and
ceased entirely.
its
factories,
"During the reigns of his son T'ung-chih (1862-1874) and nephew Kuang-hsti the manufacture has been renewed, and
great attention paid to
its
improvement, but
it
still
faUs far
Some
merit,
of decoration consisting of flowers and and white upon a pale turquoise ground was highly appreciated some fifteen [this was written more than ten years since] years ago among foreigners. The greatest measure
and a
style
butterflies in black
of success has, however, of late years been gained in the reproduction of the famille verte decoration of the first half of
"
48
CHINESE POBOELAIN.
So good are these imitations that a practised eye can alone detect the false from the real, and I have known a pair of black-ground vases, only two or three years old, purchased by a foreign dealer for over $1,000 under the belief, no doubt, that they dated from the time of K'ang-hsi or Ch'ienon black grounds.
lung."
More
ginger
recently,
imitations
of
the
so-called
"
hawthorn
of
jars,
of
sang-de-boeuf,
and
other
kinds
highly
prized Chinese porcelain have been imitated with such closeness as to deceive
all
PLATE
Plum
VIII.
Blossom Jar {Mei Hua Kuan) of globular form, with a bell-shaped cover, painted in the most brilliant blue of the K'ang-hsi period (1662-1722), with blossoming branches
floral
emblem
of the
New
Year.
The
downward on the sides of the jar, so as to display the white blossoms and buds, reserved upon a vibrating ground
of pellucid blue,
pencilled over with a reticulation of darker blue lines to represent cracking ice, a symbol of the coming spring. The rim is ornamented by a castellated border, a plain band of white defines the edge of the
The Chinese oflFer presents of fragrant and preserved fruits at the New Year in jars of this kind, and the prunus is the floral emblem of the season. These beautiful jars are often called "hawthorn jars," but
overlapping cover.
tea
the blackthorn of our hedges is a nearer (H. 10| in.) prunus of North China.
Albert
(Victoria
and
Musewm,
279, '86.)
Part IK
DESCRIPTIVE.
Plain White.
some collectors who make a specialty of white and a very interesting study it is. In the first place, it is the foundation of all porcelain. The first ware which, accorduig to European notions, could properly be called porcelain, that is, highly vitrified and translucid, must have been white, or
are
--
npHERE
porcelain,
something approaching to
it.
There
may
be, as
some doubt
uncoloured
Dynasty,
as to certain old,
unbroken coloured
like glass
whether
they are true porcelain or not, but the doubt cannot occur with
pieces.
made by Ho-chou,
under the Sui
like jade
produced by T'ao
Yti,
may
or
may
if
correct,
sub-
Minton for Solon's decoration in pdte-sur-pdte), but there is no record of any For practical interference in China with the colour of the body. purposes it may therefore be assumed that all Chinese porcelain is "white" of more or less purity, and it would naturally be
stance (like the pieces
Messrs.
made by
all
60
0HINE8E POBGELAIN.
White porcelain not meant to be decorated in colours is The unglazed, called of two classes, glazed and unglazed. biscuit, is comparatively rare, and is often carved and perforated in a very elaborate manner.
is
them
between the
in.)"
medallions
is
pierced >retwork.
(H. If
in,,
diam. 3|
Dr.
BusheU showed me a
crickets.
meant
to
carry about
is
fighting
a pencil-holder
riding a mule,
of white
Tao-kuang (1821-1850)
relief, "
scape in high
followed
representing an old
man
by an attendant, over a two-arched stone bridge across a mountain torrent towards a monastery built among a grove of trees on a valley slope. Behind are towering hills," etc. Vermilion boxes for the writing table, and little plaques mounted
as miniature screens, decorated with landscape,
also
etc.,
in
relief,
are
occasionally to be
met with
in the
of two kinds
;
Of the former much was imported in the eighteenth century and decorated in Europe. In England a
be so decorated.
great deal was decorated at Lowestoft
and other
it
places, includ-
here, for if
any
can
still
be found in
imdecorated
state, it is
by the Chinese
to
remain white.
The
latter
varies in quality, but the finest specimens represent the of perfection in the production of the pure
It
acme
body of
porcelain.
and
Franks
CHINE.
BE80BIPTIYE.
says
:
51
"
The
paste
is
the glaze seems closely blended with the paste, and has a satiny
texture like the surface of soft-paste porcelain
consist of
;
the decorations
archaic
ornaments in high
reliefj
usually of an
up
to the light.
We find in this
instances are
made
horn.
other
Buddhist
divinities,
figures
of lions, cocks,
and other
much
directed
are
sur-
mounted by
name
which the
"
district of
white
made out
of Ching-te-cMn.
all
would appear to
Of the
on a rock with dragons at her feet, or on a lotus flower, her garments arranged in graceful sweeping curves. She often holds a child on her arm or lap, like a Madonna, or a peach in her hand, and is accompanied by attenOne in the South Kensington Museum, dants, generally boys.
(or Kuan-yin), seated
is
figured
in
inches in height.
The
commonest
52
CHINESE POBOELAJN.
tails,
and
tied
up with
ribbons.
One
foot
strand of
statuettes
More
proper (strange
and
glaze.
The
finest are of a
creamy
tint,
with a very sott glaze which melts into the paste so that the
if
soft, milky translucency, as of jade, ivory, or horn. would be convenient if the term blanc de Chine applied to
on each of the
(what
sides,
the smooth-sided often have verses enare engraved in the paste, and
The marks
of the makers.
The shapes
bronze
articles
flowers, or
and other flowers. One of the most interesting pieces of blanc de Chine is an incense burner, said to have been brought from China to Venice by Marco Polo in the thirteenth century. He
visited the province of Fuchien.
The
it
and
it
to
that
copies of
collection
"
which
moulded
*
The
basin
or bowl, but
Perhaps " caBket " or " box " would be a more appropriate term than basin it is meant to bum incenae. It was probably an imitation of jade or
ivory carving.
^5
ffl
^5
JDESOBIPTIVE.
has eight feet and four handles
bronze style
;
53
each side is ornamented with three bands enclosing scrolls and other devices of an ancient
;
is
orna-
mented with an
are
wanting. The stand has a and eight low feet in the centre is a large flower surrounded by small detached seroUs, all impressed on the outside are panels like those on the bowL (H. 4| in.,
;
pierced
raised
knob
at each angle,
diam. of stand, 6|
in.)
17."
Another very interesting piece of ivory white is the oldest specimen of porcelain in the Dresden Gallery. It is a plate said
to
Palestine,
and
is
inlaid with
set
in gold
filigree.
Some
palace at Constantinople.
The Dresden
white
plate
is
marked with
the character
"Fu"
(happiuess).
fine
is called
A particular
Ting,
kind of
Fen-ting, or white
famous Ting-yao of the Sung Dynasty, which is of a dull white as compared with the best Fuchien, and is likened to mutton fat or jade. The best Sung Ting-yao It (the is white and lustrous, the inferior coarser and yellowish. yellower kind, I presume) is said to have been the origin of the wares of Korea and Satsuma. It has been imitated, under succeeding Djmasties, down to the present day. Of the K'ang-hsi period there are two sorts of Fen-ting, (1) reticulated with brown lines, and mottled with light buff clouds; (2) more Fen-ting dehcate, approaching egg-shell and ivory white.
after the
named
is
much
prized
by American collectors. It is surprisingly light when handled, and is generally crackled. The white from Ching-te-chen is often very beautiful in substance and shape. It is used by the imperial household in times of mourning, and the cups and bowls are decorated with
dragons,
etc.,
glaze,
till
sometimes so delicately
the piece
is
held up to
54
0HIN.E8E PORGELAIN.
The Yung-lo period is celebrated for its white, and It is beautiful in the the Hsftan-tS still more celebrated. when technical Ch'ien-lung, periods K'ang-hsi, Yung-chgng, and
the light.
perfection was reached, the white pieces of these periods being
The white
perfect
glazes are of
every degree
of
opacity,
from
they
In
tinge
vary from the snowiest white to yellowish, bluish, greenish, and sometimes pinkish. In the Chinese "History of Kingte-chin," translated
by
Julien,
described
pieces
as " of the
and
"
of snow."
White
and beakers of
flowers,
fish,
all
sizes,
monsters,
beneath
the
glaze.
Vegetable
in the composition of
Section B.
There
Single-coloubed
of
Glazes.
is
no
class
porcelain
in
which
the
Chinese
which the
The
blue
Europe were of
or
and white.
in
may
which two or more colours appear on the same piece in streaks and splashes. The single glazes are the older, at least in intention, the variegation being due in the first instance not to design,
colour
variegated
glazes,
but to the
changes
in
"
accident of
process
of
the kiln.
firing
mutation
told
vases or
first
Yao-pien by
that at
PLATE
touches of
buff.
IX.
young man-
while a young
lady seated opposite keeps time with her fan, and a parrot on a perch behind is apparently screaming in concert.
of a cultivated interior
fill
in
the
and water, incense-burning appaBuddha's-hand citrons to scent the air, a ratus, a dish of tray with tea-pot and cups on the table, etc. The rim is decorated with a band of floral scrolls interrupted by four
small medallions containing orchid blossoms, suggestive (Diam. 8| in.) (Victoria in China of a loving couple.
1987,
'55.)
DE80BIPTIVE.
prized.
65
to
have
yellow,
black,
purple,
and
red.
Some
Summary
Sometimes they were applied to hard, untransparent stoneware. They were due to the oxidation of
(see p. 17).
copper
(red),
colour]),
first
the
and brown, but at was found that certain colours and glazes which could not bear the extreme heat of the
to
we cannot determiae
kiln could
of
the same kihi, and colours baked in the great kiln are
now
feu
The
petit
The
following,
the colours
2.
Blue (cobalt), and Red (copper) applied unbaked clay with a feldspathic flux celadon on the and deep brown, from iron, apphed on the biscuit with a nitre and lead flux. Demi-grand feu (3). Turquoise blue from copper purple yellow from iron containing from manganese
Grand feu
(4).
antimony.
3.
Greens
;
;
from copper
crimson and
yellows from
blue from cobalt black, impure coral red from iron antimony oxide of manganese white, arsenious acid.
viz.
is
* Three of these only are employed for single-coloured imperial services, purplish hrown (aubergine), camellia-leaf green, and deep yellow. White only used when the Court is in mourning.
53
0SINE8E POBOELAIN.
Single Glazes.
The
grand feu
all,
and demi-grand feu colours only, but many, petit feu colours have in later times been used
whole
surface.
not
of the
to cover the
From
known by
various
names.
list:
strawberry, maroon,
From
iron:
VermiHon,
coral,
tomato.
From
gold:
Ruby,
rose, pink.
Of the copper colours, sang-de-bceuf and "peach-bloom" Sang-de-bceuf is said to have been are *-he most prized. of the reign of K'ang-hsi, by the part early in the invented
famous Lang Ting-tso and
is is
(see p. 40),
Governor of Ching-t^-chen,
of fUrnibd
much
prime
(which
Uke
congealed
is
blood
on some
of
pieces,
more
like
crimson on others,
distinction
is
The
as
colour
is
the
it
true
is
sang-de-boeuf
that
a yellow, not a
blue red, shoaling into a flame colour at the neck, and through
is
curiously mottled,
and that the glaze is crackled (which is not the case with any other red). Another mark of true Lang-yao is a mathematically correct line of pure white glaze round the rim and
the foot, which is a feature not found on To produce the colour the glaze requires to be melted to perfect fluidity, and modern potters cannot prevent it from running down, so that the neck of a bottle is left whitish, and drops have to be ground off the base. The
another round
later pieces.
Fig. 19.
DE8GBIPTIVE.
bottom
of
57
true
pieces
of
many
shades
are
Several of
them
collec-
The "peach-bloom,"
first
or "peach-blow," glaze
is
a later variety,
to Dr. Bushell*
but not
to Mr. Hippisley,
who
calls it
sea green,"
does justice to
in tint to
"
its
delicate beauty.
very
much
crushed
being
colour
sown with little points of bright apple which sometimes comes through the pink
or "clouds."
in
large
splotches,
now
known
or admired
if
till
not all of the pieces which have entered the market and fetch such enormous prices (especially in America), came
from
the
hereditary
collection
(see
p.
of
41).
the
Prince
of
Yi,
the
descendant of
K'ang-hsi
One famous
piece,
New York
Accord-
$15,000.
It is in the
to Mr. Hippisley in
Peking
$200 gold.
"
peach-bloom
" is called
Chiang-tou
Hung
"
from
its
DoHchos Sinensis
" also.
The Chinese
call
it
apple
Pieces of it red ing the writing table, such as water bottles in the shape of apples and pomegranates. It is probable that sang-de-bceuf,
first
produced by
* The Doctor, however, refers to wine cups of this trot produced in the time of Hsiian-tS (" Walters Collection," p. 164).
58
0EINE8E POBOELAIN.
which was used as a single glaze etc., on white under the glaze. as well as The terms sang-de-pigeon and sang-de-poulet are applied to stippled or aouffid reds more uniform but less brilliant They are not mottled or crackled, and than sang-de-hoeuf. are later than K'ang-hsi, probably Yung-chSng or Ch'ien-lung. A deep crimson red is often used to cover pieces modelled in the round statuettes of saints and animals and clumps of fungus, from the points and rims of which the colour runs, leaving spots and lines unglazed. Such pieces were made by the great Lang. There is a figure of a B6dhisattva in the
" sacrificial
red
"
of Hsiian-te,
for
painting
fish,
The
vivid,
strong,
and
delicate
colours,
comparison with
the copper
great
from crimson through rouge red to pale and delicate as the petals of a rose, and are most frequently employed in overglaze painting with enamels, especially on pieces of the class known as the famiUe rose, which commenced in the latter part of the reign of K'angreds,
The gold
pink,
are soft
but they are used to cover backs of saucers and and sometimes whole bottles and vases.
hsi,
:
plates,
Greens Gros vert, apple green, snakeskin, cucumber, emerald green, celadon, pea green. C61adon (sea green) and its varieties (an account of which will be found on pp. 19, 20) come from iron, and pea green is produced by a little addition of cobalt to the ordinary celadon
glaze; the rest,
all,
of the
combination of
The
like
sang-de-boeuf,
by Lang
Ting-tso.
DESOBIPTIVE.
pale
59
bright
apple
green,
and
true
pieces
have
the same
It is mottled and crackled round the rim and the foot, at which the colour stops dead. The snake-skin, which is iridescent, was invented by Ts'ang Ying-hsliaa The cucumber glaze
characteristics
as sang-de-hoeuf.
line
should perhaps be included among the flambd colours, as passes from apple green to oUve.
Blues:
it
Gros
bleu,
mazarin
(or
powder
blue),
sapphire,
clai/r-de-lune,
first five of these come from cobalt, the tiirquoise from copper and there is a bright blue mentioned by Dr. Bushell which is a mixture of silicate of copper and
The
series
Whereas the other blues are generally used for plates, dishes, bottles, vases, and other ordinary forms, turquoise is often found on statuettes and other pieces curiously carved and pierced, often in conjunction with " aubergine " purple (a " mixture of cobalt and manganese). The tint called " sapphire by the Chinese is a very deep blue, and is a slate colour,
not earlier than Chi'en-lung.
Yellows
The purest yellows come from antimony, the orange tints show the presence of iron. The imperial yellow is a deep colour like the yolk of an The hght enamel yellows were founded on experiments egg. The eel-skin yeUow varies in the reign of Yung-ch^ng.
from brownish
" old gold "
it
tints
is
to olive,
by Ts'ang Ying-hstian;
difficult
to decide
between yellow
tinged
like lilac
They
60
OSINESE POBOELAIN.
Browns:
Chocolate, chestnut,
brown bronze,
coffee colour,
caf^-au-lait,
dead
leaf,
fond laque
This earth
of the French)
come
from
iron,
them a brown
As
and
saucers.
On
and vases
etc.,
it
is
painted in colours.
etc.,
was sometimes
exist,
decorated with
if
any
are rare.
In
so
all
than
Pieces
painted with
have
On
is
of course heightened
by
the
yellowish
and
is
often
very
lustre,
brilliant.
All
is
these
browns have
silvery
metaUie
to.
and
this
Blacks
Common
of these
black
is
The
only,
first
is
produced from
but
the
is
impure manganese
black
has
a
and
transparent
"
mirror "
made
of calcined cobalt-
a certain proportion of the ferruginous earth which produces the browns named above. It is, like the browns, most often used to cover parts and not the whole of a piece, and is often decorated with gold. Mirror black was not invented before the reign of K'ang-hsi.
to
the
of colour left
These
This
It
what
neutral
tint
of
varying
Fig. 20.
blue and white, with bands of brown and RINGS or CRACKLED AND
PLAIN CELADON.
DESGBIPTIVE.
is
61
often seen
on vases
of
which
the
crackle
is
the sole
decoration.
Variegated Glazes.
Some kind
incidental to
single
"
kinds of pottery.
the
The
earliest
pale
blue
glazes
"
of
often patches or
in
clouds
of
the
cobalt,
known
Yao-pien of
at
the
first
by the different degrees of oxidation of different parts of the same copper silicate glaze in the process of " firing." The way in which the effects were produced is well described in the following description by Dr. Bushell, confirmed by a paragraph in Jacquemart (" Histoire de la
accidentally produced
is
well known.
Copper
in its
first
known by
sacrificial
red
'
produces a brilliant
green,
effects
and
at its highest
a turquoise blue.
Any
of these
may
In the
In a clear
not
fire
with a strong
draught
the
all
the
oxygen
is
consumed,
If,
and
is
free
to
fusion.
be loaded with a thick smoke, the carbonaceous mass will greedily absorb aE the free oxygen, and the metal will
attain its
in a given
minimum moment
degree of oxidation.
So,
when placed
appearance
the
surface
the
piece
becomes
diapered
with veined
and streaked
spirits
;
coloration,
"
62
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
the pale
happy
fortuitous
Good
as this description
it
most common
is
effect
is
shown in two flower pots in the Walters collection, one of which is the original of Plate 94 of the catalogue. It is described as " bluish grey with purple and crimson flecks
Another
108).
of
in
the
Geological
Museum
effect
is
Jermyn
attributed
Belonging to
as "mule's liver"
the
older
"
transmutations "
that
known
and "horse's lung," or both combined. It contains red, blue, violet, and yellowish green, in brilliant confusion (Franks collection, No. 1738). In this and a number of other fiamhi pieces there are splashes and streaks of a bright light blue hke cobalt, and Dr. BusheU informs me, in answer to a question on the subject, that " the blue
in the flambe vases referred
tentionally introduced
to
is
really
due to
is
cobalt, in-
as an ingredient
of the glazes.
In
owing
to the
oxidation
stituents of the
of the cobalt manganese and iron concomplex cobaltiferous mineral found in China.
In
more
modem
reproductions
of
the
Yao-pien
(furnace
manganese and copper oxide mixed with the glaze, as well as sometimes a dash of iron peroxide to give brown streaks." These modern reproductions are therefore not true Yaoclass, cobaltiferous
transmutation)
are
pien, but
only imitations of
it
by various
skilful
devices.
market which
PLATE
X.
Large Vase of the K'ang-hsi period grandly painted in colours, relieved by a black enamelled ground. It is covered tree pseonies, magnolias, with a floral decoration of peach trees, and lilies, with an open-work rockery underneath, on which are perched two pheasants. The black ground is characteristically of somewhat greenish tone, and the decoration, sketched and shaded with the same black enamel, is filled in with two brilliant shades of green, a bright yellow, and manganese purple. (H. 20 in.) {Salting
Collection, No. 33.)
DE80BIPTIVE.
pass under the
63
name
well
as
number
of bottles
and vases
is
called
on
closer
Some
of the
modem
Bushell,
pieces
"
are very
words of Dr.
Amongst the
Plate
XVI.
Turquoise
Iv/ng).
(Gh'ien-
XIX. XXXIII.
LI.
Iron rust (Gh'ien-lung). Grey amethyst and purple. Peach-bloom with rose spots
clouds {Kang-hsi).
and
tint,
apple-green
LXXXVIII.
due
to iron
LXXXV. Kobin's
egg {Ywrig-cMng).
letters (1712,
1722) describes a
them
at will
is
said to have
Yung-chgng (1723-1735).
of different colours,
Later
still
they
made
variegated
by blending
by sprinkling, or blowing through a tube covered with gauze. The last decoration is called souffle, and of the is itself much earlier than Yung-cheng, and some were produced by it in the variegations time of simpler P^re Three of the most distinct of the later d'Entrecolles' visit. variegations are called " iron rust," " robin's egg," and " tea-dust." " Robin's egg," which has a general resemblance in tone and colour to the thing from which it is named, varies considerably,* Dr. Bushell describes it as " bluish grey, flecked with red and maroon " Mr. GuUand (p. 264) as " a bluish, greenish-coloured
;
64
OHINESE POBGELAIN.
by brown specks and
It is
little
ground, relieved
white
circles."
"
produced by
com-
"Iron rust"
after
is
of
much
with blackish specks. "Tea-dust" has an olive-green ground flecked with tiny
it is called,
which
all
single glaze
and fiamM
Sung D3masty which were sent from Peking to Ching-tS-chSn by the Emperor Yung-chSng to The first two reds must have been copper, not be imitated.
to be the colours of pieces of the
gold colours
1,
Rose crimson;
;
2,
Pyrus japonica
;
pink;
liver
;
3,
aubergine
purple
horse's
9,
4,
plum-coloured blue
;
5,
7,
mule's
rice
mingled with
8,
lung
6,
dark purple
colour
sky blue
transmutation.
Section
This
collection
is
C.
Glazes
of several Colours.
the
to
name
common
class
of
decorated
on the
biscuit
with
The
have
upon these
be
considered
painted."
so as
Sometimes
ornaments
raised outlines,
places, at others
to confine
of lions, birds,
etc.,
They appear
to date
specimens of the raised outhne class exhibited at the Burlington Fine Arts Club in 1896 are
supposed to be of the
Fig. 21.
DESOBIPTIVE.
date of Chia-ching (1522-1566).
in the catalogue as follows
:
65
Two
of
37
& 38
Pair of wide-mouthed Jars, with handles on neck and Most of the body covered with blue glaze, over white unglazed porcelain five-clawed dragons and clouds
loose rings.
left in white,
gilt.
The
in.)
:
on
handles unglazed
white
porcelain.
(H. 11
Mark
Lent by Mrs.
Mdward
Bloxam,.
40
Four-sided Vase.
Similar ware,
and symbols in
R.A.
Lent by Mr.
Vol. G. Pririsep,
pieces
porcelain;
on
it
clouds,
69.
(H. 15
Quadrangular Vase.
relief,
Chinese
porcelain with
ornaments
in
known
two on each
ground.
they are coloured sea green and brown relieved by a blue-glazed back-
(H. 9f
in.)
Pair of Figures of Lions, standing on leaves. Chinese porcelain ; one of them green with maroon mane and small yellow cub by its right
front
ball
under
front paw.
Figure of a Parrot.
resting
Of Chinese
(H. 2|
in.)
and
on a yellow rock.
finest
74.
Probably the
Museum, and
are figured
by Mr. GuUand,
66
0HINE8E PORCELAIN.
title
under the
of
"Ming
Jar, Early Ming porcelain, with decoration in raised with turquoise, yeUow, white, and brown, on a purple
the body
is
ground.
On
officials in
antique-
Above
below
is
a conventional border in
(H. 11 J
in.,
diam.
13f
No. 216.
Jar.
outline, filled ia
Early Ming porcelain, with decoration in raised with blue, yellow, and white on a turquoise ground.
On the body is a landscape with two men on horseback riding towards a house, accompanied by a footboy with a box ; also a mounted official with two boys on foot, one carrying a guitar, the other a fan. Above
are the eight Buddhist emblems with lotus flowers and scrolls, below
is
cover.
diam. 14
in.)
No. 217.
Jar.
(where the coarse porcelain shows up biscuit coloured). On the body a landscape with mounted figures of antique design some with military hats, and carrying respectively a banner, a spear, and a crossis
bow
is
them carrying a
lyre.
Above
floral
is
a border with
a symbol in alternate
compartments.
13f which
in.)
is
Carved wood cover and stand. (H. 12^ in., diam. be noticed, is a jar with an outer casing
pierced.*
of decoration
The most remarkable and celebrated example of this kind is an image of the Goddess Kuan-yin in a Buddhist
turquoise (drapery), black, old gold, and
crimson.
crackle "
or
"
crackled,"
" crackelled," is
appUed
is
to pieces in
This jar
Uji-si)-
BESOBIPTIVE.
with cracks.
67
According to the T'ao Shuo (see Hirth, p. 33), Kuan-yao porcelain has a large and irregular crackle called " crabs' claws," and Ko-yao a small crackle called " fish-spawn." This smaller kind is called by the French truiti, from its
likeness to the scales of a trout.
many
bands.
sizes, all of
that
the same piece has often bands of crackle alternating with plain
At
first "
on
of the
under that
The celadon of the same period was The productions of the brothers Chang, Dynasty, were distinguished by one being crackled
(see
p.
18).
Franks
tells
us,
"
Crackled
Sung Dynasty (1127-1279), and are thus described in the history of King-te-chin The clay employed was coarse and compact, the vases were thick and heavy, some were of a rice white,* others pale blue. They used to take some Hoa-chi (steatite), powder The vases exhibited cracks runit, and mix it with the glaze. ning in every direction as though broken into a thousand pieces. The cracks were occasionally rubbed over with Indian ink or a red Then was seen a network of colour, and the superfluity removed.
Tsui-Khi-yao, under
the
Southern
'
charming
There
difierent
mode
of
making the
is
crackles
is
described in
mi-se,
which Julien
first
translated coukur
(se) of yellow a full primrose
du
m,
all.
is
yellow
colour
when
in Chinese ceramic glazes it often deepens from that tint to a dull mustard the materials are less pure. It has often been wondered why the old
is
remembering always that a paler tone is indicated the imperial yellow, which Mr. Monkhouse justly likens to the yolk of
"
68
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
is
as follows
'
and when
they have become hot, they are plunged into cold water for a
moment.
On
able cracks.'
It appears
paste.
But these
incorrect.
He
writes
"
The crackled
In
this
glaze
is
obtained by
proportions
way the
will,
size
of the
and bands of glazes with small and large crackles can be disposed upon the same vase, and alternate upon the surface with other bands
of a glaze perfectly smooth."
There
yellow;
is
the crackle.
is
some connection, however, between the colour and Turquoise is nearly always finely crackled, and so
few, if any, of the reds, except sang-de-bceuf, are
all,
crackled
at
is
and
the
crackle of sang-de-boeuf
is
broad.
Celadon
The
it
crackle on white or
is
Crackled pieces
may
be
When the crackle is a striking part When it is not. The first is perhaps the
(1) It
is
is
usually
of white or grey or pale celadon, with deep brown ornaments in decoration alike taken from antique relief, the shapes and
bronzes.
The
following descriptions
:
of pieces in
the Franks
Oval Libation Cup. Chinese crackle porcelain, brownish, with moulded ornaments in relief, dog, stork, dragon's head, stag etc (L. 3| in., h. 2i in.) '75.
PLATE
XI.
Large Vase, painted in similar colours to the last, with an enamelled background of brilHant green. The floral decoration is composed on one side of blossoming prunus trees with a pair of magpies perched in the branches; on the other of paeonies, with rocks underneath, all outlined and shaded in black. In addition to the usual colours, the paeonies are tipped with coral red, and the petals of the prunus blossoms are occasionally touched with gold, rarely with coral red like the peonies. The mark underneath is Ta Ming Oh'eng hua nien chih " Made in the reign of Ch'eng-hua of the Great Ming (Dynasty)," but the technique and colouring seem rather to indicate the period of
:
K'ang-hsi (1622-1722).
(H. 30
in.)
{Salting Collection,
No.
59.)
DE8GBIPTIVE.
Bottle.
69
(H. 7
in.)
Low
in
bronzed over.
brown.
(H. 2i
in.,
in.)
Vase, with two handles in the form of monsters' heads. Chinese on the body eight horses in various attitudes, in slight relief, and outlined in blue and brown; the ground is crackled, the
porcelain;
bufi' colour.
Muh Wang,
96.
1001.
(H. 6
in.)
CLASS
III.WITH
WHITE
SLIP DECORATION.
a semi-liquid
state.
It
has been frequently used in decorating pottery of all kinds in In this class of Chinese porcelain it is all parts of the world.
apphed to a coloured ground and modelled into various shapes and patterns, often with the greatest delicacy. Groups of
'flowers, insects, birds, etc., are treated in
the colour of the ground appears like a grey through the thinner
parts. It is
much
by M. Solon, and is known in modern The ground to which the slip is ceramics as pdte-sv/r-pdte. applied in China is generally brown, but not always, as will be seen from the following descriptions of pieces in the Franks This kind of decoration was often imitated in collection. Persian pottery, sometimes by the same process, sometimes by removing the brown glaze so that the white paste below showed It is probable that some in the form of the desired decoration.
brought to such perfection
of the pieces in the
market.
70
0EINE8E POBGELAIN.
Bottle-Shaped Vase,
probably part of
a narghili.
glaze,
Chinese
porcelain, covered
brown
on which are
98.
moulded in low
relief,
two fern
plants.
(H. a
1 1 in.)
of
nargluli.
Chinese
dark blue glaze, on which are moulded, in 99. (H. 12 J in.) white, two branches of prunus.
lions'
heads in
relief as handles.
Chinese porcelain, covered with a greyish blue glaze, on which are moulded in slight relief, in white, two vases containing flowers.
(H. lOi
in.)
100.
Pair of Bottles. Chinese porcelain, covered externally with a deep lavender glaze ; on the front is a prunus tree worked on in slip,
slightly raised.
(H. 9|
in.)
102.
"Blue
AND White."
Although we hear nothing of painting in blue before the Yuan
Djmasty, blue was from the earliest time one of the most
favourite colours.
was called
p'iao-tz'u, resembling
silks.
In the
after
was called the blue colour of distant in the After Chou Djmasty (951-960) the blue of the sky At one period it was called the prohibited colour, berain.
it
cause
it was reserved for the Sovereign. Afterwards under the Dynasty although Sung (960-1279), other colours were also used, the Ju-chou porcelain was baked with a pale blue glaze. The
same
shade.
time,
though most of
it
Nevertheless,
we hear nothing
Oh
o "
O M
pa
BESOBIPTIVE.
blue,
71
what we mean by " blue and white," till the Yuan Dynasty, and have no specimens of it earlier than the Ming Dynasty. As has already been said, " blue and white " for practical
{i.e.
may
pieces of blue
1566) are
and white before the days of Chia-ching (1522scarcely to be found. Such assistance as words can
will
bluer tinge generally, the paste less white and often pitted, and
There
is
Ming
ware.
The pecuHar
it
Mohammedan "
blue, as
its
but rich quahty of the and the boldness of the most delightful qualities. The former
was
called,
reigns, especially
Hsuan-te, Cheng-te
and Chia-ching, aU brilliant, but Hsiian-te paler than the others. Writing, of some early pieces possibly decorated with " Mohamwhich were exhibited by the Burlington Fine Arts Club in 1895, I remarked that though the blue was splendid in colour it was of the same strength and tone throughout, and that
blue,
"
medan "
is,
and never
flat
or dead,
we miss
that
charm
and the
palpi-
tating quality of
colour which
we
find
in later work."
And
some use in enabling collectors to recognise fine Ming " blue and white," if they come across it. They should remember also that though the Ch'^nghua period was celebrated for the beauty of its decoration, and for blue and white wine-cups as thin as paper, it was not celethese observations may, I hope, be of
its
suppUes of the
aesthetic
To the purely
72
GEINE8E POBOELAIN.
little,
it
of
much
of
blue
date
Cheng-hua.
the
foreign blue faUed, the Chinese used their native blue, prepared
depend upon
entirely.
It " was broken up with the hammer, and the pieces which showed on fracture vermilion spots were
of the
Mohammedan blue.
picked out as the hrst-class blue, those with silver stars being
medium
colour,
of
covered vessel
water, impurities
into
by magnetic iron
ore,
was necessary
The
first-class
last,
first
average blue
and
in
mixed with much water and spread over the surface mass gave a pure and transparently bright tint " {BuslieU).
Although the modem collector may well despair of possessing an undisputed piece of the earlier periods of Ming, such as Yung-lo, Hsiian-te, or Ch'eng-hua, he need not suffer from such despondency in regard to the later periods of the same Dynasty, More pieces of these periods are in existence, especially Wan-li. partly because they have not had to stand the risks of so many years, and partly because the production was enormous.
According
to the
Chinese
oflScial statistics
of the province
'
than 105,770 pairs of things made of of Chiang-hsi, no porcelain were ordered for the use of the palace in the fifth year of Lung-ch'ing (1571), and in this reign and the next the records
less
"
PLATE
XII.
Four-sided Vase of the K'ang-lisi period with scroll handles fashioned in the form of dragons of ancient bronze design (ch'ih-lung). The decoration is painted in enamel colours, cobalt blue, manganese purple, and two shades of green, with an enamelled yellow ground. It consists of flowering trees springing from behind rocks, pseonies, cherry trees, and pheasants in front, blossoming prunus and magpies at the back; on the two sides of vases with flowers, vessels for incense and wine, books and all the usual parapher-
hundred antiques {po-ku). The foot is painted with a brocaded ground interrupted by foliated medaUions
nalia of the
(H. 20
in.)
"
BESOJRIPTIVE.
73
date (Wan-li)
"in
may
be
on the counter,
for
Ming bowls, and there is hardly a Ming jar, generally broken it is throwing in scraps of meat." The lists
extant,
by the Emperors Chia-ching, Lungand translations from two of given Dr. them are by Bushell. The designs are said to have been principally derived from brocaded satin and ancient
and Wan-h, are
still
embroidery.
From
these
lists
we
and white
"
ordered
included bowls,
tall
wine jars, dishes, jars with covers, jars, vases, large round dishes,
boxes, large bowls for goldfish, fish bowls, large wine vessels, and
wine
vessels.
pursuing
pearls,
dragons
among
clouds or
sea-waves,
dragons coiling
through lotus
flowers,
nearly all the pieces appear to have been decorated with dragons.
balls,
Emperor
Mu
Wang, the
waterfalls of
Ssu Ch'uan,
a
the
eight
Taoist immortals,
Mutan
pseonies),
;
and
seem
to
''
while
among
the
" flora
and plum), " Indian " lotus, and flowers " celestial " and " fairy." If we add the precious emblems, mystic diagrams, and characters
for
etc.,
we
shall almost
"
In a
articles,
list
we
list
find several
summarised
oil
above
74
qniNESE porOelain.
rests, pallet
Censers,
perfume boxes, and vinegar droppers are included in the list of the intermediate reign of Lung-ch'ing, and some of the other articles may have been included under other names in the
Chia-ching
sticks,
list
oil
garden
seats, screens,
and
table,
such as pencil
and
made
would
lists
It
but
it is
and the
collector
may
date
to Wan-li found
upon
decoration
it
may
subjects
on the same
are
therefrom, holding
up the mystical trigrams, inside, with the compounding the elixir vitce." " Bowls with bamboo leaves and polyporus fungus medallions
;
containing dragons
among
clouds, dragons
and phoenixes
fljdng
through flowers
"
''
and
fishes,
in
decoration
clouds, lotus
boys playing, the seal characters Fu, Shou, E'ang, Ning, arabesques, sea monsters and lions playing with emflowers, fish,
broidered balls
of lotus,
lilies,
and
sceptres,
and
clouds."
Fig. 24.
BLUE
DISH.
BESOBIPTWE.
"Bowls with outside dragon medallions,
phoenixes,
76
the
fungus;
inside,
pair
of
characters,
coloured* phoenixes
flying
and
tree
landscapes of various
kinds.
Among
;
the
peach
and the
fir
make
their appearance
among
animals, real
fabulous, deer,
tigers,
sea
horses,
elephants,
among
flowers,
Mes,
and
garlands of fruit in
Mohammedan
ching
list. But all these things were made for the palace, and one cannot say that other articles were not made for general consumption in China, and decorated in a different
style.
We
Ming
Emperors,
of blue
Lung-ch'ing
and
Wan-li,
large
and white ware were exported to Persia and India and other Eastern countries, and that a great deal of this has since found its way to Europe, especially from This class of "blue and white" is generally bold and Persia.
quantities
rough, and of a heavy dull blue, and so does not suit the taste
of the true
modern connoisseur, but it is very vigorous and has the Ming style, as distinguished from the more beautiful but
style of the reigning
more effeminate
So
different is
it
more
posed
at Ching-t^-ch^n, but at
* " Coloured." In this Wan-li list, as in the Lung-ch'ing list mentioned by Dr. Bushel], many pieces decorated with enamel colours are included in the section desorihed as "Painted in blue on white ground."
76
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
in Soutli- Western
China
Some specimens
were shown
its
charac-
follows
The
colour,
though
is
full
and
effectively varied
from
of a slatey quality.
The decoraThe
bold,
edges of the plates and dishes are generally divided into foursided radiating panels which are repeated on the under side.
Most of the pieces have sand adhering to the glaze beneath. The centre of the large round dishes, which are a characteristic of this class, is often occupied by animals, especially birds, in a landscape. The panels on the edges are generally occupied with bold conventional flowers, symbols, and writing implements." Nearly all the pottery made in Persia during the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries, which shows Chinese influence, imitates
this style of decoration.
made for the made as certainly to suit the taste Hindostan, many of which were lent by Mrs.
Mogul Emperor. There were collection of Ming " blue and
If the list cannot be
Halsey, including a vase (No. 40) said to have been sent by the
Emperor Wan-li
indeed so white
"
to Jehangir the
many
it
pieces in this
that
appears to
me
regarded as in any
Dynasty, and
way exhaustive
may
fairly represents
may
yet be
He
on securing such specimens of the fine old blue as those (Nos. 84 to 87) which came from Burghley House, or as Mr. Louis Huth's little bowl (No. 32), or Mr. Prinsep's bottle (No. 22), or Mr. Mills's vase (No. 4), but he may come across pieces similar
to
most
moulded
(Nos.
PLATE
XIII.
Vase painted in colours of the grand feu, copper-red of maroon tint passing into varied "peach-bloom" shades, and celadon, with a bleu fouettd ground. The celadon parts and the white reserves are worked in slight relief, with engraved details. The decoration consists of the Pa Hsien, the " Eight Genii " of the Taoist cult, disporting in the clouds, and holding up the attributes by which they may be distinguished. The mark, pencilled in blue underneath the foot, is Ta Ming Ch'eng hua nien chih i.e. Made in the reign of Ch'eng-hua of the Great Ming (Dynasty)." (H. 18 in.) (Salting Collection, No. 1023.)
''
BESOBIPTIVE.
2,
77
3,
edge,
which are
specially
in
(1)
many
They
we
this reign)
(2)
and
"
(3)
they
Moreover,
is
Though
a certain
and
an immediate contact with nature, especially in the on No. 28." Such bowls are indeed rare, but I know of two which have been picked up in London quite recently.
signs of
insects
and White
Oriental Porcelain
Bottle. banners,
(H. 15
in.)
Basin.
Very
(H. 4^
in.)
Mark
A leaf (the
leaf).
Lent hy Mr. H.
S. Theobald.
and red
fish in
cover.
Mark
* If the date
Kea-tsing, 1522-1567.
Lent by Mr.
mark of this piece be correct, as I believe it is, commenced as early as Chia-ching (Kea-tsing).
it
Mills.
glaze decoration
78
0HINE8E POBOELAIN.
Basin. Similar to Nos. 2 and 28 in size and shape. Decorated with three figiires of Buddhist Priests, alternating with
tiger, serpent, etc.
;
Ginger Jar.
with birds.
No
cover.
(H.
7-^ in.)
Bottle.
Decorated
with
chrysanthemum,
in.)
and
other
flowers,
and
birds.
(H. 12
slender GargOUlette, with long spout, and the top ending with six points. Three figures, with birds, palms, and other decoration of somewhat Persian character. (H. 8 in.) Lent by Mr. R. MiUs.
four Ohina-
Deep Plate. Decorated with five formal flowers and men between them, wavy edge with points,
(Diam. 9i
in.)
:
deep
blue.
Mwrk
Ch'ing-hwa, 1465-1488.
10
Plate, with
leaves
wavy
(Diam. 8
in.)
11
Very deep
Plate, wavy edge. Writing utensils in centre, with the same as symbols round the slope of edge. (Diam. 8J in.)
Lent hy Mr. 0.
S.
Kennedy.
12
Pair of Plates,
alike,
thin
wavy
edges,
a cricket in centre of one and flowers in basket in centre of (Diam. 8 in.) the other. Lent by Mr. G. Salting.
13
Two
;
bamboo
(Diam. 8
in.)
14
Similar Plate.
BESGBIPTIVE.
15
79
Deep Basin.
birds.
Mounted
in.)
and
16
Globular Vase.
No
(H. 12^
in.)
Mark
17
Saucer-shaped Dish.
lotus,
Mark
Ch'ing-hwa, 1465-1488.
18
Bottle-shaped Jar.
(H. 8
in.)
Kylin
and
formal
paeony
decoration.
19
Deep
A
20
Centre decoration, two carp rising to the surface. Dish. white interval, and a bold landscape border to rim.
in.)
(Diam. 16 J
The
21
A similar
Vessel, in the shape of an elephant. (H. 7| in.) Both these pieces are believed to be modifications of the gargoulette made in South- Western China for Indian use, the
design in each instance being copied from Indian metal
vessels used
as hookahs,
vessels being
intended for the same purpose for importation into India. Lent hy Mrs. Halsey.
22
80
CHINESE PORGELATN.
intervals filled with formal floral decorations.
(H. 18|
in.)
Mark:
Kea-tsing, 1522-1567.
Lent by Mr.
Val. C. Prinsep,
R.A.
23
Saucer-shaped Dish.
centre,
Decoration,
four-clawed dragons round the border, with four circular panels with the " Pa-kwa " * symbols, and six
circular floral decorations at back.
Mark :
" Fuh-kwei-kia-ki."
honourable.
24
small Jug, the decoration being in dull blue enamel over the glaze, and of Persian character. Underneath is a spotted deer brown enamelled in same way probably the badge of the owner, and not a Hall Mark. (H. 4 in.)
Lent by Mr. R.
Mills.
25
same
description.
(H. 9
in.)
26
Saucer-shaped Dish,
Coarse paste, but interesting as an early specimen of the prunus blossom in outline on white ground, with some birds roughly drawn. (Diam. 11 in.)
27
wavy edge
to plate.
28
Basin, of almost eggshell quality, and with delicate decoration of chrysanthemum, bamboo, etc., with butterflies and other
insects.
(H. 4^
in.)
* The Pa-kwa were symbols of ancient Chinese philosophy. When entii-e, they were the eight comhinations of the Trigrams, of which the unbroken line typified the male and the broken line the female. They also symbolised the four points of the compass and the four half-points.
Fig. 26.
BESGBIPTIVE.
29
81
Wide
Flat
Bowl on
Leaf mark on
glazejd
30
cover, spout,
and handle.
Pure
chrysanthemum on
cover.
Some
little
gilding added in
places.
Lent by Mr.
J. P. Heseltine.
31
With
decussated edges
of rim, alternating
^ Mark
Wan-leih, 1573-1620.
is
This pattern
Japan
Goff.
Lent by Golond
32
Deep Basin,
blue.
lizards, insects,
delicately
drawn
in pale
Mark
Seuen-tih, 1426-1436.
33
Pair of Saucer Dishes- Decoration, seven egrets in centre intermixed with lotus, and surrounded with a ring of egrets and lotus alternately. Symbols of longevity and fruitfulness.
(Diam. lOJ
in.)
Mark
A double ring.
Leni by Mr. W. G. SateUnson.
34 '^An EUzabethan Ewer, formed of a bottle of Chinese porcelain, with birds and flowers. Mounted with sUver-gilt base, six
bands formed as wreaths, with cherubs' heads La relief, with band round neck, with Hp and lid surmounted with thi-ee dolphins, and a handle formed of a mermaid, with double(H. 13 in.) twisted tail, all in silver gilt.
82
OEINESE POBOELAIN.
of
35 ^Oircular Dish,
of
porcelain, with
flowers,
figures
and
buildings,
and
round edge. border Mounted with rim and base connected by four bands as arabesque figures, all in silver gilt. (Diam. 14J in.)
lotus
formally
arranged
Mark
86
Double
ring.
*A
inside,
themum
style,
pattern outside.
chrysanin same
Mmh:
Wan-leih, 1573-1620.
87 *A larger Bowl>
and divided
Mounted
(H. 6
mermaid
handles,
in.)
38
Pair of Globular Jars, with flat porcelain covers, with prunus branches in outUne on one, and bamboo and flowers on the other both mounted as tankards in silver gilt. (H. 7 in.) Lent by Mr. G. Salting.
;
handles
On
the
jar,
man
(H. 7 J
in.)
39
Large Dish,
edge.
and
flowers in
(Diam. 20
This
is
in.)
one of the pieces believed to have been made as a Commission from the Mohammedans in India, and partly
copied from their metal dishes, and, like them, often placed
on the
fire
bottom
of this
and
pieces are
collection,
and are
telieved to have been in the possession of the Cecil family from the time of Queen Elizabeth.
PLATE
XIV.
Vase of late K'ang-hsi (1662-1722) date, with a decoration executed in boldest relief and painted with the deep brilliant enamel colours of the period. The motive of the
is the " Eight Taoist Genii worshipping the God of Longevity " Pa Hsien Ching Shou. The deity is re-
decoration
each one distinguished by his peculiar attribute, are gathered in a group on a rocky shore, about to launch themselves on the waves of the sea which leads to the land of the immortals. The background is covered with
genii,
relief.
The
shoulder, neck,
floral
and
scrolls
filled in
with gold, the delicate finish of which makes an and broader colour(H. 18 in.)
DE80BIPTWE.
40
83
large wide Vase, which is said to have been sent by ShgnTsung (known better as Wan-leih, the Emperor of China from 1573 to 1620) to Jehangir, the Mogul Emperor, who
kept
it in his palace at Agra until that was sacked by the Mahrattas, in 1771, when it was transferred to the house of the family at Agra, from whom the present owner purchased
it.
41
Dish, similar in size and character to No. 39, but a more brilliant blue, and with figures in centre and four panels with figures round rim, with alternate panels with flowers,
principally the lotus, used in a very conventional form.
42
dragon and a background of conventionalised lotus and below bold linear decorations. (H. 22 in.)
above
Mark
(round mouth)
Lent by Mr. H.
V. Tebbs.
43
fishes
swimming
(H. 23
in.)
44
clawed dragon, and above and below bold linear decorations, ending with a conventional blossom very similar to those on No. 38. (H. 23 in.)
Mark
line.
(round shoulder)
Wan-leih, 1573-1620,
in
one
46
Saucer-shaped Dish.
ground representing
of rim.
(Diam. 13
84
GHINESE POBOELAIN.
Saucer Dish.
full
46
In centre a pine with bamboo and prunus, and a moon, and after an interval a border of chrysanthemum, bamboo, prunus, etc., with squirrels, birds, a deer, and hare.
(Diam. 13^
in.)
47
Some fragments
in 1689,
some
etc.,
of
the vases,
from the Palace of Bijapur, India, destroyed which are identical in style with many of in this case, and so indirectly confirming the
48
Fragments from
Cairo, Egjrpt,
Mounds
Egypt from
early times.
Both
49
Deep Dish.
Slightly flanged.
With
symbols of magistrates alternating with pomegranates and (Diam. 20 in.) lotus ; in centre, a landscape with geese, etc.
Lent by Mr.
J.
Annan
Bryce.
60
Two Saucer
Dishes, representing a Eylm, which covers the whole dish without any border. (Diam. 14^ in.)
M<M-k (inside double ring)
:
Tuh
tang kea
he.
" Excellent
vessel
made
61
Similar Dish
to
No.
49,
52
Similar Dish to
last,
Ch'lngr
Blue and
"
\irhlte.
" to
When we turn
present Dynasty,
that of the
we
sea.
With
no
the
tint
all
Mohammedan
For the
Fig. 27.
DE80BIPTIVE.
purely aesthetic collector, " blue and white
"
85
may be
said to begin
and end with K'ang-hsi, for the choicest Ming is practically nonexistent, and both paste and colour deteriorated after the end of
K'ang-hsi's reign.
aesthetic collector,
who has
and
it is
really
as evidence of age,
almost inconceivable
why
so
many
of
on pieces of every
quality,
the date
marks of the celebrated Ming periods, especially that of Ch'^nghua, are to be found on K'ang-hsi porcelain, that of K'ang-hsi
itself is
very
rare, as
classical authors.
The reason
for
was the fear that broken pieces of pottery bearing the sacred name might be trampled on and profaned. How long the prohibition lasted is not recorded, but at all events it was long enough to make the absence of a date mark a sign of
the period, or rather the presence of the double blue ring within
inscribed, without
great
number
of other
is
The reign of K'ang-hsi (1662-1722) which a great trade in porcelain was carried on between China and Europe, mostly in Dutch ships. For a long time Holland had practically a monopoly of the trade with China, and with Japan also, who expelled the Portuguese in 1641. The British East India Company, though it was established in 1599, did not trade directly with China and Japan for long
was the
first
in
after.
Whatever may have been the character of the first is no doubt that they were merchants, and were modified Dutch soon made to order of the In course of time to suit the taste of the European market. there was a demand for useful porcelain for tea services and
86
GRIKSSE TOBOELAIN.
''
*c
salt,
^ce boats,
dishes,
unknown
to the Chinese.
Enormous
quantities of this
It
was imitated
from
"
all
over Europe
and
"
pottery.
It is
the
celebrated
willow
pattern plate
was
derived,
as the "
and a
"
now known
Danish
from
its
is
also
known
European
famihes had
made
in
Chiaa with
in.
China
class generally
known by
deal
of
the
name
of Lowestoft china.
No
doubt a great
Chinese
porcelain
was
as
imported
undecorated, and
painted at Lowestoft as
weU
many
and the Continent, but by far the greater part of the so-caUed Lowestoft china was both made and decorated in China. Most of this is polychrome, so that perhaps we are straying from the
straight path of " blue
and
white."
Here
it
wiU
suffice to say
made more
or less
is
generally considered as
collector or connoisseur.
Most
it
of
it is,
much, and the best is not to be despised even for decorative purposes by short purses. There were, for instance, some large plates in the collection of the late Dante Gabriel Rossetti, weU painted with an elegant fan pattern, and of beautiful paste and colour, which were
varies very
and
in such
fine quality
But
if
we wish
"
to
from other blue remark appHes equally to other classes of Oriental porcelain) we shall have a more difficult task, for a
is
what
BESOBIPTIVE.
87
great deal of the most beautiful blue and white, though not
"
The vases decorated with graceful Lange Eleizen " of the Dutch and the " Long
understand, great
and
a grey silvery
live for a
most brilliant blue, but one of But unless a collector chooses to go and
if
he
does),
he
will
he did so he would not reaUy please his own, for the Chinese collector has much more of the feeling of the antiquarian than of the artist, and his preferences are formed by majiy subtle forces which can never have any really vital
taste.
So the British collector had better and coUect frankly those pieces which appear most beautiful to his British eyes. It would seem that, so far as "blue and white" is concerned, those eyes are sensitive enough, for if we except HoUand and America there is no country in which its beauty is so much appreciated as
effect
follow his
own
British taste,
our own.
It is not given to everyone to
be a good judge of
is
"
blue and
white."
Even when
amoimt
found on
The colouring matter is in all cases the this class of china. same, namely cobalt, and yet its varieties are innumerable. It is found in manganese ore in association with other metals,
from which it is difficult to separate it entirely. A reddish tinge shows the presence of manganese, a blackish that of iron
or nickel.
periods in China
from the Chia-ching, all three from the K'ang-hsi, and the K'ang-hsi from the Ch'ien-lung. The Chinese blue has been
88
CHINESE POBOELAIK
factories
any
other
European
factory.
only,
Bristol, Worcester,
own
The
nearest imitation of
Ghiaese
"
pottery.
Some
The
blue
is
it
glance, but
glaze.
even
this is
Even
variety of tints
In the
first
place
may
There
is
class
of " blue
ogre china."
It is
and white " which may be called evidently founded on old bronze vessels both
and decoration, the forms are generally bold in curve, some are almost globular, and the painted ornaments are The bottles closely compacted of arabesques (white upon blue).
as to shape
top
"garhc
inward
at
the
orna-
The
ments make strong masses of colour, and look as though they had been cut out and applied to the surface, a considerStriking characable portion of which is quite undecorated.
teristics
On
on a blue ground. On the upper ; gourd four panels, with an inscription connected by fillets of
PLATE XV.
Beaker-shaped Vase of the K'ang-hsi period, painted in blue with
magnoUas (Magnolia yulan). The magnoKa trees spring from open-work rockeries on the body and shoulder of the Yase, and the white iiowers are modelled in sUght relief, so as to stand out more prominently from the shaded background of intense vibrating blue in which they are
enveloped.
Two
pairs of
it
common
floral
emblem.
(H. 19 in.)
(Salting Col-
lection,
No. 371.)
DESGBIPTim.
diaper;
89
ornament.
on the neck, upright blue leaves with arabesque (H. 9| in.) (Thompson Collection, No. 219.)*
The famous " hawthorn " ginger jars, (when of the largest and finest type), are remarkable for the depth and richness of their " blue," which is seldom if ever found on other pieces. The pattern, indeed, is found on pieces of every description and aU tints, from
bhie, easily recognisable.
grey to almost black, and from the lightest to the deepest blue, but these special " ginger jars " are of the clearest and
silver
fullest
azure.
The
finest
and Yung-chgng.
fruits,
preserved
are
The decoration consists of branches, sprays, or bunches of white wild plum blossom on a blue ground, and this blue ground is wavy and reticulated, the unevenly laid colour being broken up by straight, darker lines, like cracks in blue ice. This, we are told, is what the
Year presents.
pattern
of
it,
New
is
intended to suggest.
In China, or in
many
parts
The prunus,
is
like
its
the
"blackthorn"
in
England,
the
first
tree -to
The plum
bloom and the cracking ice are both emblems of the New Year, which begius in China some weeks later than with The intensity and clearness of the blue are enhanced by us. these darker lines and the mottling. You seem to be able to
look below the siu:face as into water or precious stones.
In the
*
are
The Thompson
collectioii
many
The description of the pieces referred to in the text is taken from the smnptuous " Catalogue of Blue and White Nantin Porcelain illustrated by the Autotype Process from drawings by James WMstler, Esq., and Sir Henry ITjompson," which was published by EUis and White in 1878.
in the possession of Mr. Salting.
now
Only 220
copies
it is
W.
B.
DESOBIPTIVE.
blue
is
91
Whether a
brilliant,
different quality
is
quite
transparent, of
Whereas the
aU blues produced from cobalt upon porcelain. may be compared to a sapphire, the effect of this is more like lapis lazuh. It is generally used as a ground with reserve panels and lozenges, in which
finest of the other blues
It is
may
be associated with
or classes
if
vary in strength,
It
seems
from
two blues, the pale and the dark, though perhaps the same
more or less diluted and it is impossible to say when it became the practice to use both on the same piece for -the sake of contrast and emphasis. Certainly dviring the later part of the Ming Dynasty at least two tints were used, one very dark and the other more lively, on the same piece, and in the time of K'ang-hsi and his successors it became the rule rather than the exception, and often more than two were used, especially in interiors with figures. Thus the hair would be dark, the drapery lighter, and the woodwork lighter still. But they seem
colour
;
also, as in
iris.
The
and its leaves. But whatever varieties of colour there may be In this respect on the same piece they are always in harmony. Chinese " blue and white " is inimitable it is never out of tune In ^paste, glaze, and colour all unite in one delightful harmony.
is,
glaze) that
As the
tinge,
whatever
it
is,
92
is
GRINE8E POBGELAIN.
always in accord with the blue, I suggested at the same time
it
that
is
painted,
might come from the pigment with which the piece and that this is perhaps one advantage of the Chinese
baking.
In
all
may
not
This theory
partly sustained
by what
In
called " soft paste " (see p. 41), the only kind of Chinese " blue
"
and white
this
tinge.
baked before
it is
glazed.
for taste.
It
is
With regard
only the Chinese
blue,
room
not
who
in
especially
the "hawthorn"
others
prefer
pattern;
lighter
while
to
of the
deeper
pronounced
varieties.
blue,
the
the
A greater
unanimity wiU
Its presence
ought not
to
be
felt.
It should, it
has been
said,
just been
" soft
The term
"
it
paste
appUed
to a rare
kind of Chinese
but because
blue and
looks
so.
is softer
The
effect
softness
comes not from the softness of the paste but the of the glaze, which is a lead glaze, and will not bear the
same degree of heat as the petro-sUiceous glaze used for ordinary The " soft paste " is generally crackled and often painted with great care and elaboration. The blue is deep and soft, and seems to melt into the glaze rather than to be painted on something hard beneath it. Fabulous prices are said to be given in America for fine pieces, which are generally
kinds of hard porcelain.
of small
"
size.
may
method of decoration blue upon white and white upon blue. The former is the more common; the latter is employed in
many
patterns,
as,
for
instance,
DESOBIPTIKE.
petals are relieved against a blue ground.
is
93
Often another change Within panels which teU as masses of blue upon the white body, there is decoration which tells as white upon the blue sometimes, also, a darker blue ornament is laid upon this decoration, which is practically blue upon blue. An instance of all these methods is a ginger jar near me as I write. On each
rung.
;
side
is
a large panel
filled
and over
;
this scaly
ground
Somefilled in
when the
When we come
is
white," one
and would
which
may
be specified.
The
largest class
is
probably
the
"
floral.
Chinese
artists
beginning of
so-called
"hawthorn"
and other
all
woven
its
into bold
and beautiful
designs.
It
Of
these
may
be generally
known by
one of which
is
by the Chinese, and by the English dealer the " tiger lily," a flower which is not known in China. These and many more flowers often form the sole decoration of a piece. Sometimes, as in the case of the " hawthorn jars or the vignetted sprays of magnolia, they are drawn very realistically; but as a rule they are treated with more or less
''
it is
occupied
94
0HINE8E POBOELAIN.
plants,
is
composed
of
flower.
They
are probably
meant
pink
;
but the
last is the
clearly
distinguishable, and the leaves are aU alike. The many ways in which flowers are used in the decoration of "blue and white"
is
illustrated
We
which
is
coarse in painting,
carefully drawn.
though there are pieces of fine pale blue and It is rarely, if ever, found with date marks,
of the pieces
is
Ming
than the present Djmasty, and the taste rather Persian than
(D. 11 in.)
and leaves radiating up the rim, sprays on Lent by Mr. Lewis Jarvis.
rim.
94
Basin.
Slightly
in.)
:
wavy
outside.
(H. 4
Ma/rk
A lotus
(?)
Lent by Lord
Battersea.
96
Sixteen asters on cover, radiating Sucrier and Cover. from centre knob, and sixteen round the body of bowl. Lent by Mr. C. S. Kennedy. (H. 8J in.)
98
Ginger Jar, with square cap cover. Six panels round shoulder. Band of pseony decoration round centre, fifteen asters round
lower part. (H. 12
in.)
Lent by Mr. B.
Mills.
Prunus OP
103
"
Hawthorn."
blue.
Small Beaker.
(H. 9i
in.)
Mark : Double
Lent by Mr. G.
Salting.
Fig. 29.
Fig. 30.
DSSOBIPTIVE.
104
95
Fair of Plates
of
same
subject.
;
1426-1436,
Cylindrical Cache Pot. Same decoration, the ground being vignetted off, and the prunus slightly in
(H. 7
in.)
Mark: Double
ring.
112
Basin.
Slightly flanged. Dark border top and bottom with blossoms only, the rest being branches of prunus with dark
stems.
The ground beautifully graduated. (H. 7. Mark: Ch'ing-hua, 1465-1488, but probably
in.)
of
much
later date.
113
Pair of Beakers.
white.
Branching
(H. 18
in.)
Mark : Double
ring.
114
Pair of Plates.
are white.
(D. 11 in.)
:
Ma/rk
The
117
Bottle.
unusual
Covered with branching prunus, some blossoms of size. very rare and remarkable specimen of the
(H. 17
in.)
Pair of Jars, with metal covers and necks and locks. The decoration is a conventional and picturesque use of apparently the pseony leaves, combined with the blossom Brought from Granada, and probably of of the lotus.
,
96
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
early Portuguese importation,
tea.
(H.
12
in.)
55
blossoms,
partly in
into
profile,
with
the
stems
made
concentric
(D. 14 in.)
Mark: Leaf
59
Pair of Beakers.
Ma/rk
:
(H. 12
in.)
Double
ring.
Lent hy Mr. G.
Saltvag.
60
Pair of Cylindrical Jars with Flanged Necks. Band of ornamentation of lotus, white on blue, with sacred stone (one of the Buddhist symbols) and formal pattern round neck. (H. 8 in.) Lent hy Lord Battersea.
Pair of Oval Vases, flanged necks, unglazed handles. Decoration, blue on white, in four panels, prunus, pseony, lotus, and chrysanthemum on the four sides, symbolical of the
four seasons.
62
(H. 9
in.)
Lent by Mr.
J.
Annan
Bryce.
63
Deep Dish.
Decoration,
pseony,
with two
fong-hoa
birds.
Monkeys
in the trees.
ring.
(D. 15|
in.)
Mark
64
Conventional decoration
of
Mark
date.
65
Saucer Dish.
and four
15
in.)
leaf
buds.
(D.
MoA-k
The Sounding
Fig.
thorn BOTTLE."
"
DE80BIPTIVK
70
Saucer Dish.
leaves
97
profile,
with their
like
the sagittaria
75
Dish.
Rich pseony decoration in centre and on rim, white upon hlue, with intermediate band of white, decorated with six sprays of chrysanthemum in blue. Long sprays on back. (D. 18J in.)
Mark
Leaf in double
ring.
78
Fair of
Beakers. Peeony decoration closely covering the whole surface in rich blue. (H. 20 in.) Mark : Double ring. Lent hy Mr. G. Salting.
Large lotus in centre and three surrounding
flowers in paler blue, leaves, and conventional
79
Saucer Dish.
it,
with
iris
decoration.
(D. 15 in.)
:
Mark
Leaf in double
ring.
85
Saucer Dish.
surrounded by
(D. 18| in.)
Mark
symbol
fish,
;
Two
fish inside
double ring.
fidelity,
Another Buddhist
being
the
"
representing conjugal
Yu
89
Pair of Dishes.
round the border. (D. 15^ in.) Mark : The Sounding stone. Lent hy Mr. W.
G. Alexander.
90
Large Bowl.
Two
Saucer-shaped Dishes.
Sharply drawn fiowers and leaves painted in white enamel, which form a raised pattern on a ground of bright powder blue. The under part, as far
98
0SINE8E POBOELAIN.
as the foot, similar in colour
and design; the centre panel on the inner edge two similar
(D. 13
in.)
Mark ; Double
(Thompson
Collection,
No. 113.)
The above
many
of
the
most
but
finest blue,
and over again, singly and in combination, in and many others, hke the peach, the rose, the orchid, as well. They are used in panels, often altematmg with panels of figures, especially of graceful ladies, and are Earely they the motives of a thousand diapers and borders.
pots, baskets, etc.,
are
drawn growing
insects,
as
with
butterflies,
dragon
flies,
etc.,
flying
about and
is
settling
on them.
An
exquisite
example of
this
a jar
more properly
other
to the
next
"
class,
Animals,"
the
landscape
generally
consisting of a
decorative foreground
rocks, with trees
conventionalised
and
whole surface
delicately
Some Buddhist
subject on one,
in.)
(H. 18
Lent hy Lord
{G.
B.F.A.C, 1895.)
83
Richly decorated with spotted deer and with pine trees and landscape. (H. 17 in.) Mark : Double ring. Lent hy Mr. C. S. Xermedy.
(Ditto.)
JDE8GBIPTIVE.
86
99
Dish. Grapes, with squirrels plundering them, in centre and round the rim. (D. 16 in.) Mark : Sounding stone inside double ring. Lent by Mr. Willoughby Loudon.
{G.B.F.A.C, 1895.)
Two Saucer
rocks,
lobes.
Chinese
porcelain,
in the centre
a grasshopper,
;
and flowers
on the
brown
edges.
(D. 9 in.)
(Franks
Collection,
No. 176.)
Vase.
a pheasant on a rock
;
from which springs a flowering plant narrow borders above. (H. 9 in.)
Mark
Vase.
Chinese porcelain, painted in dark blue ; two tigers in a landscape ; at the back a bamboo plant growing out of a rock.
(H. 17
in.)
Small Plate.
Chinese porcelain, painted Lq blue ; in the centre a landscape with two deer,* a grotesque monkey climbing a tree and holding a stick, with which it is apparently striking
a
bees'
nest;
border of
hexagons, interrupted
(D. 5| in.)
by four
Mark
342c?.)
Oup.
Mark : Wan
yuh.
(Franks
Collection,
No. 261.)
Two
Saucers. Chinese porcelain, of a dead white, painted in blue ; two quails and a flowering tree; indented edge gilt.
(D. 4i in.)
*
Which
hy the
hees.
100
0HINE8E POBOELAIN.
in the form of a lotus leaf.
Four Plates
Mark
(D. 8 J in.)
No. 46.)
Fish.
Fish,
especially
the
carp and
salmon
(very
for
like
carp),
furnished
the
Chinese
with
many
subjects
decorating
(see
There
are,
and white
" pieces
ornamented with
latter
realistically.
Amongst the
eels,
a not very
uncommon
pattern of crabs,
Qlobular-shaped Bottle with long neck; on the body a salmon leaping from rough waves striking against a rock at the side of the fish a flower above a band of castellated ornament round the neck a band of involuted ornament
;
;
neck
126
Deep
in
Dish, flanged brim, with wavy edge, with fishes drawn every variety of attitude among water plants, etc. (D. 10| in.) Lent hy Mr. G. H. Boughton, A.R.A.
(G.B.F.A.C, 1895.)
161
Flanged and wavy edges. Decorated Pair of Deep Dishes. with fishes drawn with great spirit on rims and at bottom
of dish, with a crab
(D. 15
in.)
Two
Plates.
in the centre a
fish
seal
PLATE
XVII.
Tall Vase of the K'ang-hsi period (1662-1722), painted with the rich brilHant enamel colours of the famille verte. The decoration consists of panels of varied shape and size, posed upon a green stippled ground brocaded with flowers and butterflies. The panels are filled with landscapes, lions with embroidered balls and other monsters, fish and water plants, and with the typical flowers of the four
seasons
winter.
the
chrysanthemum
(H. 30
DESOBIPTIVE.
101
character, Fuh, "Happiness," eight times repeated; on the back eight symbols. (D. in.)
Plate.
; in the centre a medallion enclosing three fishes twisted together, around which is a
running
scroll
border of flowers.
Next
to flowers
probably
in
order of
antiquity
is
the
decoration
dragons, which
a class of porcelain
monsters.
The
phoenix, or
fong-hoa,
"
white
and much more Another very famiUar figure on " blue and pieces (often modelled as a handle to a vase cover) is the
is
almost as
common
as the dragon,
Corean
lion,
and
The best
authorities call
lion,
but
it is
generally
more
like a
knows whether
latter.
to
treat
it
it
scarcely
fabulous
natural
character
but
their
grotesque appearance,
may
be
which are
upon
and white,"
Taoist immortals.
fables
form favourite subjects for decorating " blue and white," as the salmon (so often represented fighting with a dragon) and the horses of King Muh-Wang. Let us first give some
description of pieces decorated with animals connected with
fables,
and
the
sacred personages.
102
OEINESE POBOELAIN.
Animals connected with Fables.
128
fifth
monarch
B.C.,
of the
Chow
Dynasty,
and died 947 B.C. He travelled much, and carried on many wars successfully on
the
of
Ohina.
He
hoasted
that
he had been driven " wherever wheel-ruts ran and hoofs After one of these expeditions, he of horses had trodden."
pensioned his coachman, Tsao-Fu, and turned out the eight
horses for the rest of their lives.
(H. 11
in.)
139
Plate.
deep blue
(D. 8| in.)
Mark Square
:
Fabulous Animals.
131
flanged tops.
Two bands
of rich
other lower one with lotus and waves in white, the rest of
the jar white with decorations in blue.
neck.
Long
leaves
up the
(H. 11
:
in.)
Mark Double
ring.
132
clouds,
and
flowers,
A flower.
133
Basin, flanged top. Inside, a leaping salmon. Outside, white dragons and clouds, on deep blue ground. (H. 4 in.)
Mark
Ch'ing-hua, 1465-1488.
Leini
by Mr. A. T. Hollvngsworih.
{Ditto.)
PLATE
XVIII.
Vase of the K'ang-hsi period, painted entirely in the soft coral red of the mufHe stove derived from iron peroxide, the
colour which
XXIV.
in Plate
of
five
from the crested waves of a rocky sea. Grasped in the right forepaw of each dragon is displayed the circular form of the character shou (longevity). The neck is encircled by a dotted ring and the Up by a scrolled border (H. 10 in.) (Salting Collection, No. 1083.) oiju-i design.
DE80BIPTIVE.
135
19
Pair of Plates.
deep rich blue.
Seal
Two
.-
(D. 11 in.)
Mark
Pao
138
Globular Vessel with Neck, Spout, and Handle, partly mounted with silver. Kylin on one side and fong-hoa on the
other.
(H. 11
in.)
Lent hy Mr.
J.
Annam
Bryce.
{Ditto.)
140
Squat Vase.
Two
:
blue on white.
Mark
134
Pair of Plates.
symbols at back.
:
Kylin in
(D. 8 in.)
centre,
blue border.
Buddhist
Mark Longevity fungus inside double ring. Mark engraved at the Dresden Museum, showing
plates
these
were in their collection when formed about a.d. 1700. Lent by Mr. E. Mills.
(Ditto.)
SaUcer-shaped Dish.
(D. 12| in.)
a phoenix
Bowl.
among clouds border of swastika pattern two four-clawed dragons with sacred pearls over the
;
waves
tfie
of the sea.
:
(H. 6
in., d.
13^
in.)
"
of
Saucer Dish.
outside.
a four-
Western
jade.''
104
0BINE8B POBOELAIN.
The
best jade comes to China from the countries to the west.
{Frcmks
Collection,
Fo. 772.)
Three Cups
a nest.
Chinese porcelain,
painted in blue
among
Two
Diminutive Saucers.
inside,
a four-clawed dragon
outside,
clouds.
(Franks
Collection,
No. 805.)
Pair of Cylindrical Jars. Chinese porcelain, painted in blue of various tints on the body a design in four bands, alternately stiff arabesques in blue on a white ground, and patterns ia white on a pale blue ground of the latter, the upper one consists of two dragons holding up fanciful branches ; on the
; ;
(H. 11
in.)
(Franks
Collection,
No. 115.)
Vase,
bottle-shaped.
among
clouds,
and
(3,3).
Med
in
with blue.
(H. 7\\a.)
quatrefoil
on each side a medaUion enclosing a fabulous animal; the remainder of the body ornamented with wicker pattern in white on a blue ground above and below, panels and borders with stiff ornaments. (H. 13 in.)
Chinese porcelain, painted in blue
; ;
character,
").
Fuh
kwei kia ki
("Fine
ware
for riches
and honours
Oylindrical Jar, ornamented with four alternate white and blue bands of arabesque designs ; in the centre two dragons holding
Fig.
DESOBIPTWE.
a symbol
;
105
on the neck a band of ornament surmounted by ; round the foot a similar band of ornament. (H.lliin.) Mark: Double ring. (Thompson Collection, N'o. 4.)
upright leaves
hatge Cylindrical Vase, with hoUow neck. On a ground of transparent wavy blue numerous dragons and medallions of
forming a regular pattern intersected by boldly drawn leaves and flowers ; the hollow of the neck similarly ornamented in two divisions ; round the foot a broad band
flowers,
round the neck similar bands and medaUions. (H. 18 in.) Mark : Two rings. {Thompson Collection, No. 206.)
Sauoer Dish.
Chinese porcelain, painted in blue; a large Kylin and a plantain. (D. 14 in.) Mark, in a formal|character, Yuh-tang kea ke ("Beautiful vessel of the Jade HaU ").
Mythical Personages.
The mythical personages painted on blue and white and other porcelain are not many Buddha and his Arhats and the Goddess Kuan-yin are seldom found in such decoration. The eight Taoist Immortals and the God of Longevity are the most frequent, next the Taoist triad, Fu, Lu, and Shou, the star-gods of happiness, rank, and long life.
:
76
The subject is Si Wang Mu, a fabulous being of female sex, dwelling on Mt. Kw'en-lun
with troops of Genii, and at times holding intercourse with favoured Imperial votaries. King Mu Wang is behoved to
have been entertained by her at the Lake of Gems in the West. She is mentioned in the Books of Chow, which date some centuries before the Christian era. She bestowed the
fruit of the peach,
she
She
is
106
OEINESE POBOBLAIN.
The body covered with formal diaper Pair of Beakers. pattern, with eight panels, four on body and four on neck, two-and-two on the reverse sides, on each of which is one of the Eight Immortals Pa-Sien. Though from the earliest antiquity they had been separately venerated, they were not till the thirteenth century associated together and venerated They are Taoist divinities. (H. 18 in.) as the " Pa-Sien." Lent by Lord Battersea. Mark Double ring.
236
{B.F.A.C, 1895.)
340
The God
out.
of
inside,
in.)
stag.
Soft
and
(H.
1J
Lent by Mr. R.
{Ditto.)
Mills.
249
Pair of Saucer Plates. Central subject, apparently a man (in one plate), and a woman (in the other), praying, and Kuan-yin appearing on the sky with a child in her arms, presumably the object of their petitions, Kuan-yin being the
Goddess mancer
panels,
of Fruitfulness
is
;
in each place, a
man
like
a necro-
with
wreaths, an
and
lotus
(D. 11 in.)
J.
Lent by Mr.
Amnan
(Ditto.)
Bryce.
280
Powdered Blue
sage, apparently
Jar. Two oblong white panels, one with a Naga^rMja, the Dragon King, bestriding a
him
and
hold-
W.
Anderson's
"British
Museum
fish,
Catathree
a hare,
and some
flowers.
Basin.
peach
outside,
God
of Longevity
ridiag on a stork.
Mark :
(H. 3J ia., diam. 6^ in.) " Made at the Lin-yuh Lvriryuh tang chi.
hall."
Fig. 34.
LION-HAXDLED
WIXE-POT,
BE80BIFTIVE.
To
this section
107 also
said to belong.
what I have called ogre china may Here is the description of another piece
be
253
Triple Bulb Bottle. Four pointed gadroons down half of bottom bulb, with masks of monster's head between ; the middle bulb entirely covered with similar decoration, and the
small highest bulb the same, with pointed leaves up the neck
white upon deep rich blue, and the white very pure, with
brilliant glaze.
Human
These
Figures.
"
may
be divided into
Ceremonial subjects,"
"
Battle
and Hunthig
scenes," "
trade), interiors,
Cepemonlal Subjects.
To this class belong the most stately of Chinese decorations. The pictures are probably copies or adaptations of designs by They are admirably composed the most skilful pictorial artists. with regard to the telling of the story, and the figures and other
objects are
surface.
the
The landscape setting, in which boldly conventionalised pine trees and rocks often play an important part, is generally of
much
231
dignity.
Sc[uare Jar
and Cover.
On
one
side,
numerous votaries
lady.
Mark
DESOBIPTWE.
of
office
;
109
warriors, addressing
on the other a mandarin, attended by three an official seated at a table writing, with two attendants behind him. On the neck bamboo branches. The covers, which are decorated with a conventional leaf pattern, are surmounted by small blue kylin lions. (H. (Thompson Collection, No. 6.) 11 in.)
Chinese
of his
;
Emperor
court,
represented, surrounded
by the personages
who
round the neck two bands of ornament. (H. 17^ in.) Mark of the period Ch'ing-hua, 1465-1488 (2.2.2). {Franks Collection, No. 103.)
Tall Vase.
numerous attendants ; at the door are horses two branches of flowers. (H. 18 J in.) Man-h of the period Ch'ing-hua, 1465-1488
on the neck
(3.3).
Pair of Vases, with sUghtly bulging bodies and expanding necks. On one a band of six musicians, with female dancing on a carpet, in the presence of lady of rank seated at a table, with two attendants at her side round the neck bamboo leaves and ornamental band round the foot a rimning leaf pattern.
; ;
On
a table in a pavilion surrounded by warriors and attendants, is addressing a sage who, standing in front of a table, is
apparently inscribing upon a
scroll
him; without, a warrior carrying a standard attended by another bearing an oflfering round the neck, bamboo leaves
;
round the
foot,
Mark
(Thompson
No.
74.)
110
0HINE8E POBOELAIN.
Battle
These subjects are not very common on blue and white. The ordinary hunting scene is the pattern usually called the " Love Chase," of which more than one variety is described
in the following extracts from catalogues:
201
in
Border of geometrically a lady the centre the " Love Chase "
:
and gentleman on horseback, with bow and arrow and In one plate, leaden ball on a string, pursuing a hare. the arrow just discharged, and in the other, transfixed, the hare in this plate the lady has a hawk on her wrist, In the first plate the lady while the gentleman shoots. (D. 8 in.) has the bow and the gentleman the leaden ball. Lent hy Lord Battersea.
;
(B.F.A.C, 1895.)
Two
Cylindrical Pots. On the body two female figures hunting a hare (" Love Chase ") ; round the foot and neck an upright leaf pattern, with a narrow diaper band. (H.
5 in.)
{Thompson
Collection,
No. 121.)
Two Saucer
sixteen flutes.
Dishes, with wavy edges, and borders moulded in Chinese porcelain, painted in blue ; in the centre Chinese subjects, an archer on horseback shooting
wrist
border of a
stiflF
pattern,
Mark
1465-1488.
Collection,
{Franks
No. 180.)
Vase.
two
figures
on horse-
(H. 8
in.)
Mark
{Franks
Collection,
No. 117.)
Pair
In the centre a combat between two of deep Dishes. mounted warriors, each attended by a lieutenant carrying
^^^^|^^>AV
"^'^
^^^
DESGBIPTI7E.
a standard
nected
;
Ill
round the inner edge eight medallions conpillars variously ornamented in white, representing a combat between a foot soldier and a moxm.ted warrior ; on the reverse a band of detached
by blue arched
flowers,
and
6
six large
Mark :
and double
ring.
(Thompson
Collection,
No. 201.)
Two
edges.
standard bearer; from this proceed six semicircular compartments, in each of which a warrior and standard
the spaces between are filled with chevron and key patterns ; outside six panels, enclosing a quatrefoil design, and beyond these four growing plants. (D. 13| in.)
;
bearer
Mark
{Franks
Collection,
No. 193.)
etc.)*
They
have a
human
interest,
some other world than ours, somewhere between the earth and fairy land a land of strange rocks and trees and flowers, of white light and blue air, peopled mainly by graceful ladies and quaint children, They also show passing charmed Hves untouched by care.
the decorative
skill
of the Chinese at
its
highest,
especially
ment
and near without breaking the sense of an even siu-face. While, however, we rightly extol the supreme virtues of the Oriental decorator in these respects, we should
of things
far
112
OniNESE POROELAIN.
remember that they are accompanied by a very imperfect perception of perspective, both linear and atmospheric.
BeaJ^er, with swelling centre. Chinese porcelain painted in blue three ranges of subjects. In the upper one a Chinese
interior with figures writing,
below this
is
a garden scene,
in.)
figures
with poultry.
(H. 18
Mark
leaf.
Pair of Beakers,
the centre
square.
is
in
a quadrangular
each
they rest on an
of
expanded
;
foot
with
also
flowers
growing out
rocks
the
upper
expand to a still greater width, each panel of which is ornamented with growing plants, birds, and insects ; at the top and bottom borders of lozenge pattern. (H. 10^ in.)
Mark : Two
figures.
(Franks
Collection,
No, 131.)
Cylindrical Vase, for writing materials. Chinese porcelain painted in blue. garden scene by moonlight ; six men seated
at a table
is
(H.
5iin.)
tow.
(Franks
Collection,
No. 147.)
Basin.
in
of
blue
inside
a medallion
;
one
viz.
outside
7^
in.)
Mark
Lijsen)
;
and
the
round
Fig. 38.
thkee-coloue
sub biscuit.
decoeation
DESCRIPTIVE.
cover
113
leaves
on
the
Mark
Double
{Thompson
Larg^B Saucer.
Collection,
No. 193.)
6|
Chinese subject
viz.
in a wheel-chair, with
border, interrupted
in.)
by four
(D.
shin
chin
tscmg.
Collection,
No. 188.)
Beaker, with
blue
;
chiefly
and
children, or
alternately.
(H. 20f
Mark : The
leaf symbol.
Two
Plates.
in
blue,
with
Chinese
subjects
detached flowers
(D. 10 in.) outline forming a circular patch. {Franks Collection, No. 207.)
tops.
On
Lijsen) variously occupied, and landscapes ; below six similar patterns of figures separated by panels, vases, and flowers on
a stand.
ring.
On
Round
the neck a
deep ornamental band. (H. 14J in.) Mark : Leaf and double ring.
{Thompson
Collection,
No. 26.)
Small
I
in
miniature house
114
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
symmetrically arranged
either side a cuckoo.
flowers
on
Mark
A shelL
in
(Thompson
No. 174.)
and fourteen
porcelain,
foliations
the
border.
Chinese
painted in blue;
a varied Chinese
from the
life
of a philosopher; in
;
border
on the outside are detached sprigs on above which alternate flowers and symbols.
1465-1488
(3.3).
(D. 8| in.)
Mark
(Franks
Collection,
No. 177.)
tree,
On
round
Mark
Double
rings.
(Thompson
Collection,
No. 192.)
would be of
little
use to devote
much
borders, bands,
etc.,
but
many
pieces
Thompson
collection
Bowl of Thin
Porcelain.
Pattern formed of
five
rows of Chinese
band
of
arabesque design
DE8GBIPTIVE.
implements,
in., d.
115
etc.
inside,
(H. 3 J
in.)
:
Mark
Double
ring,
A.D. 1661-1772.
Pair
of
On
either
side
a shield-shaped
medallion with conventional leaves on a ground of transparent wavy blue ; between these, two similar panels ; above,
a band of ornament, terminating on either side in stiff blue leaves ; on the neck a band of ornament, the body covered with reticulated pattern ; on the spout and handle a running
pattern of leaves and flowers, with blue dots on either side
254.)
On
the body
wavy
;
ornamented
involuted
above and below alternate large and small leaves similarly ornamented ; on the neck six
similar leaves on a quatrefoU ground in outline between two bands of ornament. (H. 1\ in.)
Mark
This
is
Leaf.
{Thompson
Collection,
No. 255.)
and
foliations.
remarkable for
its
beautiful play of
The foregoing
given on pp. 116-118) have been carefully selected from various catalogues of choice collections, in order to give, not a complete,
field
of
Chinese
Pure landscapes
(and
everyone
knows the
etc.,
No
doubt nearly
made
but when we
come
to
116
CSINESE POBGELAIN.
we
shall find few
consider the designs on polychrome porcelain, that are new, except in colour, and
it
will
be mainly with
polychrome porcelain
will
be chosen.
Section
B.
Painted
in
Yellow
is
uncommon.
charming combination
is
branch of a tree and a bird in blue with flowers touched with peach colour, aU on a light celadon ground.
so touched are often in slight
relief.
The
flowers, etc.,
The
some
of
a barrel shape.
etc.,
in
low
relief
weapons,
glaze.
(H. 8 J
Mark
Hung-woo, 1368-1399.
280.
Bottle, with straight neck and globular body ; designs in very low relief. Chinese porcelain, painted in blue, greenish yellow,
and brown,
all
under glaze
;
on the body and upper part of on the lower part of neck two
;
(H. 15^
in.)
Mark
281.
The following
Arts Club in 1896
PLATE
XIX.
Vase of rounded outline and flattened form, with two scrolled handles fashioned in the shape of dragons, invested with
a finely-crackled turquoise glaze of greenish tone.
central medallions
The
composed of a pair of archaic dragons round a branched fungus {ling-chih), emblem of longCYity, surrounded by five bats, emblems A peach is engraved upon of the five kinds of happiness. the neck of the vase, a chrysanthemum at the foot, and
{ch'ih-lvmg) coiled
of
BE8CBIPTIVE.
474
Bowl.
White, with three
in.)
117
fish in
(H. SJ
Mark: Yung-Ohing,
1723-1736.
475
&
476
Pair of Long-necked Bottles, with the Pakwa, or Yang and Yin symbols in blue under the glaze, and waves in red brown under the glaze. (H. 7^ in.)
eight trigrams, and the
479
Bottle.
481
Pomegranates in red under the and formal borders top and bottom in same colour. (H. 14i in.) Lent by Mr. B. Mills.
482
&
483
Pair of Bottles.
in red
and
(H. 8^
in.)
489
Oviform
white,
glaze.
Bottle.
Flanged neck.
in.)
and two
(H. 14
Annan
Bryee.
490
Fo
in dark
brown
(H. 5^
in.)
Lent by Mr. W.
J. Stuart.
497
Bowl, divided
into panels, with lotus in blue and brown " under the glaze, arranged formally like the " aster pattern (H. 5^ in.) in the "blue and white." Lent by Mr. B. Mills. Mark : double ring.
"
118
CHINESE FOBOELAIN.
White
Bottle, with the three spotted fishes, each blue and brown, under the glaze. (H. 9J in.) Mark : double ring. Lent by Mr. G. R. Davies.
494
Section C.
Painted
(a
in
list
Overglaze enamels
are
sometimes
glass,
called
vitreous
enamels, not
because
other
enamels or glazes are not vitreous, but because these are nearer
to
temperature.
all
Porcelain
articles,
the usual
this
plates, etc.,
and in
differs
;
respect,
and
"
in
the
subjects
of
the
decoration,
little
from
The paste is the same but the class "egg-shell" is more important, and the remarkable glassof like porcelain made in the reigns of Yuhg-ch^ng and Ch'ienblue and white."
"
Chinese glass
")
made by Ku Ytieh-hsiian, is peculiar to it. As will be noted from what has been said in the historical section, the date when
overglaze enamels began to be used
is
till
at perfection
this
the later
years
of K'ang-hsi,
then.
Till
reign
As
Ming
the
"
two
classes,
three
colour "
and the
colour."
The
" three
colours are a
varies
duU yellow, a lively green, and a colour which from a brownish purple (prune colour) to a purplish
colour.
brown or mouse
On
these
pieces
the
ground
is
is
most common, and almost forms a class by itself, which might be named fa/mille jaune, in imitation of Jacquemart's divisions offamille verte aadfamille rose. The " three colour" porcelain, the manufacture of which has been continued from
the Ming period
till
is
decoeated
BEBOEIPTIVE.
119
etc.),
spread
glaze -like
wash,
the
being painted
(outlined
in black
a easeful of them,
among which
flat sides,
some
tall
yellow vases *
the
British
Museum.)
On
later
pieces
of
the
same
tjrpe,
These pieces
are generally classed under faTnille verte, as well as the " five
in
" five
scheme.
The
is
under the
glaze,
and
this
substituted for
it.
glaze
verte
is
is
the only
way
later
to distinguish the
from the
and the potting less perfect, and that the red on the
pieces
is
Ming
and
is easily
rubbed
off.
In the course of the long reign of K'ang-hsi (1662-1722), skill in the use of the overglaze enamels made very great
and the number of colours employed was greatly This was partly due to the imitation of enamels on copper, which began to flourish about this time (the same enamels and the same processes were employed in each craft), and partly to the example of the Japanese, who began to paint in soft enamels on porcelain with greater skill than the Chinese had been able to attain. In this case the Chiaese
progress,
increased.
in
is
the
ceramic
art,
and
it
may
One
of
them
"
120
OHINESE POBOELAIN.
perhaps be said that the Chinese never afterwards produced its way than the Japanese premiere
In the later years of K'anghsi the discovery of the gold reds gradually changed the
42).
dominant colour of polychrome porcelain from green to rosy red, and the class known as famille rose, which developed
to
perfection imder
Yung-chSng and Ch'ien-lung, gradually verte. This is the period of the most when the plates * " with seven borders
and the dainty hanging lanterns t with perforated sides were made. After this and the porcelain in imitation of Ku Yueh-hsUan ware no greater novelty was produced than the ware sometimes called "graviata," from its ground of enamel engraved with a spiral or curly pattern, on which sometimes in reserved panels and sometimes on the ground itself are
painted
medallions,
flowers,
etc.
as Ch'ien-lung, but
most of
prized
are
later,
and bowls of
the reign
of
are perhaps
the most
products
called
"
of
Peking medallion
With regard
porcelain,
I
it
much
most
to
what
Generally
may
be said to represent
the
exquisite
shows a strong influence of European decoration, the famille rose especially. The lemon yellow grounds, the broken and soft colours, are due also to the same influence, and it is
said
plates
made
European market.
is
XXII.
BESOBIPTIVE.
the ^patterns of rich woven and brocaded
subjects executed in the richest enamels.
silks.
121
The
principal
title
when
now
to
it is a term which has very little meaning appUed in the trade to all porcelain supposed have been manufactured under the Ch'ing Dynasty which
that
it
is
An
colours
descriptions of
to
Chinese
porcelain
with
overglaze
with
subdivisions
;
follow
;
Famille Verte,
;
including.
Colour Various Black Ground Powder Blue This class is interesting as the foundation of the large
of
Three Groundclass
and generally known as "Old Jap." Famille Rose; Red and White Black and White Chrysanthemum- Pseony; Graviata, or Peking; Vitreous Porcelain, in imitation of Ku-Yueh's Glass and Miscellaneous. The latter
century,
Eggshell
is
Colour).
The
sides covered
Rich green
little
with
The cover pale yeUow and green, and the knob The body of the vase is hard white porcelain. Lent by Mr. B. Mills. Early Ming. (H. 9|.)
mouse
colour.
43
Bowl.
glaze,
The ground,
highly
inside
and
out,
a pale
plum colour
with
iridescent.
The
outside
decorated
122
0HINE8E FOBOELAIN.
chrysanthemums, in yellow and white, and the Fong-hoa
bird in yellow and green, and the inside with same yellow
flowers
(H. 3f
in.)
Mark:
Kea-tsing, 1522-1567.
44
Squat Jar.
No
cover.
and other
in.)
flowers,
symbols
all
in yellow.
(H. 7
Mark:
Ch'ing-hua, 1465-1488.
45
Cup.
glaze,
with black
and horses in yellow, prunus blossoms and artemisia leaves and shell and other symbols in white and mouse colour. (H. 2^ in.)
lines
Lent hy Mr. W.
J. Stuart.
48
An Oviform
Jar. Small mouth, flanged, yellow glaze ground, with two ladies and a boy in green and brown. CH.. 9 in.)
:
green,
and
in.)
red
decoration.
Early famille
verte,
Ming.
(H. 9
53 and 54
ised
Two Saucer
chrysanthemum blossoms in blue, brown, and green enamel, and red paint with green enamel leaves and stalks, and formal hexagonal pattern border, with the symbols round the upper edge. Ming. (D. 8J in.) Lent hy Mr. R.
PLATE XX.
Small Crackled Vase
or fiaTnbe
class,
with a purple body vertically streaked with darker lines, shoaUng towards the shoulder, till the red fades away on the neck, leaving a finely-crackled
ground of greyish-green tint. The hp is tinged at the top by blotches of a warmer purple, almost crimson, and the
colour again asserts itself as the liquescent glaze runs
inside the
down
mouth
it
(H. 9 in.)
DE80RIPTIVE.
66
123
Yellow glaze
ground,
with
A Ming famille
J. Stuart.
(H. 12 J
lid.
in.)
Lent by Mr. W.
66
and four
red,
and
each side with white panel on which the sacred symbols are
Famille
verte,
probably late
Ming.
(H. 2|
in.)
77 and 78
Fair of Jars with small mouths. The subject some an emperor. Beautiful specimens (H. 12^ in.) of ^hefamiUe verte decoration. Mark : A cycle date. Sin-se Nien-chi. " In the 18th year this was made." Lent by Mr. G. Salting.
courtiers offering gifts to
:
82
Decoration Cylindrical Bottle, with flanged mouth. powdered red ground, passing into white at the neck, and Prevailing large pseonies, pink and yellow, and a bird. character, famille verte, with the dawn of the famille rose
in the pseony.
(H. 8
in.)
Mark
The
87
Cylindrical Jar, with red ground, like No. 79. panels with birds and collar round shoulder,
green decorations.
(H. 10|
in.)
Two
all
oblong
in rich
100
Cylindrical Jar.
white,
Green ground with cranes in black and and clouds yellow and mouse colour. (H. 1\ in.) Lent by Mr. Louis Huth.
Bulbous towards the bottom, on square The figures mostly in green and dun
scenes.
113
Pour-sided Jar.
stand.
colour.
Pale yellow.
Handles at side of
in.)
(H. 21
124
CHINESE POROELAIN.
Oviform Vase.
some
birds.
116
Mark
116
Four-sided Jar.
enamel, and
in.)
(H. 19|
123
Hexagonal Stand, on
six
feet.
126
Large Dish.
late famille
verte.
Basket of flowers in centre, with panels of various flowers. Mark : The double scroll. Lent by Mr. A. Cock, Q.C.
133
Large Dish,
enamel,
saucer-shaped.
large kylin,
in rich green
border.
six
No
Edges marks of
Lent by Mr. W.
J. Stuart.
which are
of a
The
58
Hexagonal Brush
or
(see
Pot.
Covered with thick black glaze and very early Ming piece
No. 96, Case C) possibly Sung. (H. 10^ in.) Lent by Mr. C. A. Whitehead.
372
Black enamel. Apparently the subject a fabulous being of female sex, dwelling on Mt. Kw'en-lun, with troops of genii, and at times holding intercourse with favoured votaries. King Mu Wang is
Si
Wang Mu,
Fig.
BESORIPTIVE.
said to have entertained
125
Gems
in the
West.
She
is
She bestowed the fruit of ; and sometimes despatched birds as messengers to her votaries. She is sometimes represented as seated on the fong-hoa, and someIn this piece she holds a times as standing on the clouds. Lent by Mr. G. Salting. child. (H. 9J in.)
long before the Christian era.
the peach, which
immortality
373
Larger Bowl.
borders.
Black enamel and dark green lotus wreaths in Four panels with landscapes and birds. Inside the rim a border of lotus in red and white. (H. 5 in.) Lent by Mr. G. Salting.
385
Slightly flanged neck, with metal rim. Four-Bided Jar. Black enamel ground with branching prunus, freely drawn, on all four sides, with green centres and brown stems, and yellow and green parroquets. (H. 19| in.) Recessed square at bottom, glazed and square seal mark.
386
Flanged neck.
Two
large oblong
circular
etc.
and leaf-shaped
Leaf-shaped panels
on neck and round the shoulder. The whole ground of jar black enamel delicately covered with small green running decoration and prunus blossom and leaves in colours, formal pale green ornamentation round base. (H. 17^ in.)
Lent by Mr. G. R.
IXcmies.
389
Vase. Flanged neck. Green decoration of lotus running over Quite different from the thick black enamel a black glaze.
of the former pieces.
(H. 14
in.)
Seal
mark
Keen-lung, 1736-1795.
With
chrysanthemums and leaves in white on a black ground. From Burghley House Collection. (H. 17 in.) Lent by Mr. Louis Huth. This is an almost unique piece.
126
OEINESE POBOELAIN.
383
&
384
Pair of Beakers. Black ground with small prunus branches and blossom in white. (H. 17 in.) Lent hy Mr. G. R. Dcmes.
Famille Vepte (powder blue gri'ound with peserve panels painted in coloups).
427
&
428
Deep Fair of nearly similar Saucer Dishes. powdered blue, with circular panel in centre and four other (D. panels with landscapes and birds in brilliant colours.
lOJ
in.)
Seal
mark on one
(427).
Lent hy Mr. W.
J. Stuart.
N.B.
The
bowls following.
429
&
430
outside with deep blue and some gilding, and with panels
decorated in colours. (H. 3J in.) Mark : The " koeui " stone.
Lervt
hy Mr. C. A. Whitehead.
431
&
432
Pair of Triple Gourd Bottles, mounted in metal. powdered blue, with panels decorated in colours. (H. 10 in.) Lent hy Mr. S. E. Kermedy.
Brilliant
Famille Rose.
137
Plate.
glaze,
two cocks
and a paeony a branch of pninus going across the plate. Four panels with landscapes, and four sprays on border. (D. 9 in.) Lent hy Mr. W. Mitchell.
138
Large Saucer-shaped
Plate.
Fseonies
and chrysanthemum
(D. 12 in.)
whole surface.
Lent by Mr.
Wm.
C. Alexander.
141
&
142
Two Octagonal Plates. boating scene in one, a lady punting, and another on the bank with a child on her
<
o
H-t
BE8GBIFTIVE.
back
lotus
;
127
children in a garden.
(D.
7|^ in.)
144
Four-sided Vase, for flowers. Open reticulations on each side and on shoulders and the flanged top, which lifts out, having a square receptacle for water. Blue and pink glazes
round the panels,
etc.
(H. 11
in.)
Lent hy Mr. W.
J. Stumrt.
147
&
148
Buby
149
a large lotus flower in the centre, the whole dish being the shape of the flower. For the history of the eight Immortals,
see
(D. 10
in.)
160
Shaving' Dish. Three figures on a rich carpet, with jars and fans and scroUs. Overhead a branch of prunus. Lovely border of pale green, with various coloured prunus blossoms, and large paeony blossoms in richest rose colour. Oval shape, 12 in. long. Cut out to fit the chin. Lent by Mr. 6. S. Davies.
Flanged mouth. Large lotus naturalCylindrical Vase, istically drawn, with a kingfisher. Square mark, and leaf on
side of neck.
155
(H. 17^
in.)
156
Teapot. Kyb'ns as spout and handle. Circular bosses in relief in form of flowers, gUt centres and knob on lid. Small
spandrils of black enamel.
(H. 5
in.)
163
good deal of Shell. black enamel in parts, remnants of the famille verte, and
128
CHINESE POROELAIN.
rich pseony decoration
'
and some
cocks.
it on.
Eggrshell Popcelaln.
110
&
111
Pair of Delicate Saucer Plates. The whole surface covered with a garden scene, a lady and attendants, with a cistern with gold fish, flowers on stands, a deer holding the longevity fungus, a crane, a cat, etc., all wrought with the
delicacy of eggshell decoration.
J. Stucirt.
300
Eggshell. White glaze, crackled with a Jar. (H. 8 J in.) designed pseony enamelled in colours.
delicately
Lent by Mr. G. R.
Da/vies.
301
& 302
No.
Mounted
in
Some
(H. 9
of the
attendants.
ants.
303
Bowl.
Eggshell.
Two
a magnate in either
case.
(H. 2|
in.)
322
& 323
Pair of Eggshell Saucer Plates. on one, and a quail on the other. (D. 8 in.)
woodpecker
(!)
324
on a
silver stand.
327
Garden
at
scene.
Man
woman
dancing
various
spectators
windows.
and Very
delicately coloured.
(D. 8 in.)
collection.
J. Stuart.
^U'.
Fig. 42.
VASE
entirely painted OP
BESOBIPTWE.
333
129
& 334
citron
Pair of Eggshell Plates. With ruby backs. Large and flowers in one, and pomegranate, etc., in the other. (D. 6 in.) Lent by Mr. W. J. Stua/rt.
copper red
painted over the glaze with an some pieces painted under the glaze with a sometimes brilliant but generally of a maroon tinge.
"
"
393
Cylindrical Jar.
red and white.
Entirely decorated with different shades of Large paeonies and leaves running over the jar and the ground, with small symbols of cloud in white on a red ground. (H. 17 J in.) Lent by Mr. G. Salting.
Chpysanthemum-Pseony Deeopatlon.
367
Large Bowl,
decorated
inside
and
outside.
Pseonies
and
and gold
so
:
much
Ma/rh
by the Japanese. (H. 7^ in.) Lent by Mrs. Halsey. The Sacred fungus.
496
Bowl,
the Chrysanthemum-Pseonian decoration in rich which so much of the Japanese decoration afterwards imitated. Inside a good famille verte. Group of Lent by Mr. B. Mills. pseonies, etc. (H. 5| in.)
of
colour,
535
Bowl, with
scalloped rim.
of the style so
much
imitated
teenth century.
Mark
" Tuning fork " in blue under the glaze. Lent by Mr. 0. H. Bougkton, B.A.
Ku
Yueh's Glass.
The
Washington.
The
first
(No. 324)
is
made with
J
it
130
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
Water-holder
vitreoiis
324
(small) of dull, opaque white Ku Yiieh-hsiian ware of cylindrical shape. Decorated with a land-
scape very beautifully painted in natural colonrs, representing a young shepherd clad in Chinese dress, but whose features are unmistakably European, tending a ram and two ewes on
The painting
characterised
by
Ma/rh in form of a
Ch'ierirl/umg
seal
filled
nien chih,
"Made
328
& 329
Rice Bowls
(a pair)
Yung-cheng
Ku
Yiieh-hsiian ware
(Nos. 323 to 327), and hence termed, as are Nos. 330 to 336, Chinese,
famg-ha-ywh-hsimn,
modelled
after
that
wore.
The student sees the outline sharp Of plum-bloom by the moonlight cast On window-bliud, and breathes the scent Of unseen flow'rets wafted past.
(H. 1\ in., d. 4| in.) Ma/rk as on No. 324.
330
Teapot
and leaver crinkled into many but quite natural and showing the dark upper and light lower sides, with buds and seed pods. On cover are groups of the same flbwers and leaves arranged in three clumps around the knob, which is a flattened globe bearing the character Shou
shapes,
(longevity) in carmine.
On the teapot is the inscription " Pure as the virtue of the perfect man," -that is, as jade,
sidered the
which from a passage in the " Classic of Ceremonial " is consymbol of such virtue, "harmonious as the
Fig. 43.
BBSOBIFTIVE.
strength of
131
him who
fulfils all
(H. 4J
iQ.)
Mark
as on No. 324.
331
& 332
same porcelain and bearing precisely the same No. 330 came from the collection of the Prince of I. Several months later these corresponding cups, which doubtless at one time belonged to the same owner, were purchased from among unclaimed goods in a Peking pawnshop.
of
Cups
decoration.
Curiously enough, however, the seal attached to the inscription on the cups, though this
is
evidently
as
is
(H. If
2^
in.)
333
& 334
Vases
and everted brim covered with brUliant vitreous on which the decoration is painted. Around the foot is a band of light blue ornamented with delicate foliate scroll Above the band runs another band of panel in violet. ornamentation in carmine edged with didl green, which, with a band below neck of conventional dragons, alternately green and pink, on a magenta ground, enclose the body of the vase. This, on a deep blue ground, ornamented with conventional clouds of yellow, green, blue, and jed, and bats of pink shaded with carmine, and of yellow shaded with orange, bears four medallions with pure white ground of dazzling brilliancy, containing groups of flowers most delicately painted pseonies and bamboos, lUies, longevity fungus and red-seeded heavenly bamboo (Namdinqb domestica), lilies and poppies, and yeUow hibiscus and green and red coleus. At foot of neck is a band of orange, the neck itself being of lemon yellow ornamented with conventional flowers and foliage in many colours, confined below by a band of foliated pattern in blue shaded with deeper tones of the same colour, and above by a single band, outlined with a dotted border of blue, in carmine and shaded with the latter colour, the decoration ending in a narrow border of pale yellow
total height,
glaze,
The
132
ORINESE POBOELAIN.
subdued in tone, producing a very rich and harmonious
effect.
(H. 7|
as
in.)
Mark
on No. 324.
side.
Ground, a
and over
This
is
an example
of
what used
;
to be called
"Peking
but it was paid as a yearly is not the case Emperor at Peking, who consequently had a very large collection of it, of which he made presents to European and other visitors. It was made late in the reign
This, however,
tribute to the
of Keen-lung.
(H. 19^
of
in.)
Seal
Keen-lung in red on a white square, the rest of the bottom being sea green, 1736-1795.
Lent by Mr. A. Morrison.
mark
298
&
299
Four circular panels in white, with landscapes and enamel (H. 2^ in.)
Seal
359
Smaller Bowl.
Seal
More
:
deUcate.
Yellow
glaze.
Graviata with
mwrh
Taou-kwang, 1821-1850.
Lent by Mr. W. H. Cope.
Miscellaneous.
21
Nearly Cylindrical, Wide-mouthed Jar. Blue under glaze, with yellow horse and dun horse, etc. Persian in character. Ming piece. (H. 8 in.) Lent by Mr. B. Mills. Square
65
Sweetmeat Box, on four feet, with divisions. Decorated inside and out with deep red ground, the out-
o H a
I.
=a
DESOBIPTIVE.
side
133
with figures, and inside with peaches and citrons, pomegranates, and other fruits enamelled in various colours. The top edges gilt.
A piece
of
unknown
characteristics,
but pronounced by
(H. 2 J
in.)
68
Flat-backed Cistern. Made to hang against the wall, with cover, and metal cock on a carved wood stand, and a flat
dish or basin standing in front,
both fluted. Decorated with crabs and various fishes and bird in deep rich colours. Early famUle verte. Ming Dynasty. (Total h. 24 in.) Lent hy Mr. WiUonghhy Loudon.
small
flanged
85
Oviform Jar,
delicate
mouth,
entirely
lotus
covered
in
with
colours
on
Three
bands
in white.
(H. 12
in.)
86
Cup
for Libations.
("Tsio" cup.)
on upper edge, with swastika, fan, and other symbols. Lent hy Mr. Willoughhy Loudon.
90
difierent
rich
with
six
(D. 15 in.)
(inside double ring).
Ma/rk
96
God
of
Longevity on top,
and the eight Immortals on the eight panels of the upper half, and other figures ; boys playing on the eight lower panels. The base is in stripes of yellow, green, and black, a richly carved wooden stand completes the design. and
112
Square Jar.
Flanged neck.
DeHoate decoration.
Various
134
landscape,
OHINESE POBOELAIN.
etc.
it.
Dotted
(H. 19^^
ground
in.)
in
red
with
various
blossoms on
117
Flanged neck; creamy ground, covered Cylindrical Jar. with branching prunus in white and red, and birds of blue
etc.
(H. 18
in.)
Mark :
124
A double ring.
Lent by Mr. G. B.
Da/oies.
Circular Sweetmeat
the top.
side of
galleons,
Box and Cover, with high knob at The cover very richly ornamented, and round the the box hunting and fishing scenes and Dutch showing European influence, probably made for the
of Kang-he.
(H. 9
in.)
172
squares joined
of
(H. of higher
column 21 J
and
of lower
325
&
326
Two
landscapes.
Very thin
paste,
approaching
Figured in Marryat's
as being in his
"History of Porcelain," Plate III., collection. (H. 14 in.) Lent by Mr. Willoughby London.
etc.,
477
Large
Bottle.
in green
cfladon glaze in
(H. 14J
in.)
Deep blue
(H. 7^
glaze.
in.)
Mark:
PLATE
XXI.
Openwork Lantern, one of a pair, of oval hexagonal form, with panels carved in openwork designs, decorated in the soft
enamels of the famille
period
(1736-95).
rose,
The
six
have
oblong panels
garden scenes and pictures of ladies wandering about or engaged in the "four elegant accomplishments," music, The upper and lower receding chess, painting, or writing. rims are both pierced with six smaller panels. The borders and edges are richly decorated with roses and other floral brocades, painted upon diapered grounds of (Salting Collection, No. (H. 14J in.) diverse pattern.
293.)
^^^^
-TTl
sy
BEBGBIPTIVE.
393
135
& 394
at bottom, and outside thick red glaze with vases, incense burners, painting utensils, and other symbols.
(H. 12
in.)
the
5th year of the 75th cycle; a.d. 1808 {see Sir A. Wollaston Franks' Catalogue, p. 222) " shin nien Leang-kwo-kishoo." *
:
Wo
395
Cylindrical Jar. Hich blue glaze, with symbols in gilding round neck. Also the waves round the body of the jar, in which four large carp, in red, besport themselves. (H. 19 in.)
Lent by Mr. O. Salting.
396
flanged top.
The ground
Four square
and
shells.
neck two leaf-shaped and two oblong panels, the tablets for some poem, while all the other panels have landscapes with quotations from poems above.
latter used as
On the
(H. 28Jin.)
Mark : Double
397
ring.
&
warrior riding on a kylin in centre, with a lance, attended by a follower bearing a vase with a Rich border of pseonies and almond blossoms, lotus in it. interrupted by six panels with a red carp and a brown fish Lent by Mr. G. R. Dames. alternately. (D. 15J in.)
* In a review of the "Burlington Fine Arts Catalogue," printed in CSuna, I ventured to remark tliat the fifth CMnese character deciphered lewo was really fou, and that the sixth, ki, had heen arhitrarily out into two parts, to' be read Jci-shoo. mark " Leong, moreover, as written here, is not a surname. I would read the
' '
:
" Painted
it
after a
good picture
{liang
t'ov.)
wu
eh'4n "
and
refer
an earUer
indicated above.
S.
W.
B.
136
0EINE8E POBCELAIN.
UNDER
THE GLAZE.
This
by Sir
mode of decoration has been very well described W. Franks, who says: "A beautiful mode of varying
is
filled
successfully
skUl;
in
To do some
most usual
It is
decoration
is
star pattern.
probable that these wares are not older than the eighteenth
century.
were
made, which have rude decorations of the same nature, but there
is
no evidence
to
this
mode
of orna-
mentation originated."
by
Sir Wollaston,
vitrified,
though not
not perfectly
has a milky
to porcelain of
and is perhaps in appearance the nearest approach any soft pottery. It is often called Gombroon
it
is
other writers
of the
There are several specimens of it in the British and South Kensington Museums. This perforated ware
eighteenth century.
is called
riz.
The decoration
of this
Saucers.
; quatrefoil and leaf borders ; around a band of formal pierced pattern, filled in with
glaze.
in.,
h.
5J
in.)
457.
in with glaze. Chinese porcelain painted on the centre the Chinese character Fuh, " Happi-
Fig. 46.-
GRAVING.
BESOBIPTIVE.
ness," surrounded
137
by
five bats;
ground
4f
in.)
Mark
1736-1795.
In the
458.
Flower Pot.
Chinese porcelain.
Round
lower
painted in blue
pierced
9 in,)
the remainder of
pattern,
filled
in
with
glaze,
(H. 6J
in., d.
458a.
in blossom
outside a
.
the same
been pierced in places and filled in with the petals of some of the flowers should
transparent
so
that
appear
in., d.
more
in.)
when held up to the light. (H. 3 Mark: On bowl and cover, in the seal
4|
character, of
459.
have thought
as
is
it
best to
Museum,
it
Chinese porcelain in
England which
is
procurable
by
aU.
Nor could
first five
it
well be improved.
were more or
it
less outside
book
Nevertheless,
may
be interesting to
some of
my
of
some
of these
Few
with
"
interesting class
Oriental Porcelain
Foreign
Designs."
These
may
be
divided
"
;
into
(a)
(6) "
"
Scenes
(c)
Christian
"
138
CHINESE POBOELAIN.
and
gold,
often in black
with
faces
in
pale
flesh
colour.
Copies
of engravings
of all kinds
are found,
sometimes
is
of
The cross-hatching
done
with much care, but the Chinese attempts to copy the figures and expressions are not very successful and sometimes ludicrous. Others are painted in blue, like the famous "Keyser" cups, which are taU and have covers, and show, in the principal panels of the cover and the cup, a European king and queen
seated,
TABLI
One
of these
Franks
collection
(282)
fine
These are of
Koekoek
in het Huisje
Many
of these
Dutch
is
European characters, on a ship piece in the Franks collection On such pieces are sometimes found 1700) or towns.
plate,
for
instance,
the
Franks collection
(680),
representing
the
siege
of
Dutch town, supposed to be Kotterdam, and evidently copied from a Dutch design, is marked Ch'Sng-hua (1465The figures in European costume of the seventeenth 1487). and eighteenth centuries are always clumsy but sometimes
a
and curious
sale,
things, has
some
Hamilton
a
representing
very square-built
couples
indulging in
vigorous dance.
The " Jesuit " china is interesting, but often rather painfuL The best specimen of it which I know is a plate with a representation of the Crucifixion, with
many
It belongs
is
o w
- o
=i3
BE80BIFTIVE.
"Jesuit,"
is
139
of him, and another with Christ and the twelve apostles (Franks,
592).
The
"
is
genealogists.
was made in large quantities during the eighteenth century for European families, especially in Holland and England, who ordered table services decorated with their
armorial bearings. In the Franks collection is a plate with the arms of Frederick the Great (606) and a salt cellar with the Royal arms of France (608), and many others of less distinguished origin.
In
my own possession
is
is
a plate presented to
me by
Chinese
sent a
a friend
who
an amusing instance of
service to
artist
pen or pencil drawing of them with the name of each The service
be part of the decoration, and copied them There they are stiU to be observed under
returned duly painted, but the artist took the words "red,"
" green," " blue," to
exactly as written.
the red
is
carefully
emblazoned
the
right
service,
which was
all
quite successful
Euroin
many
pieces being
made
for
Mohammedan markets
Siamese taste are of very marked character. They are decorated with Buddhist figures, animals, etc., in very brilliant enamels
(see
GuUand,
Figs.
409, 410
and
411,
Class IX.).
Of Franks' other classes of Chinese porcelain something wiU be found elsewhere; regarding Oriental porcelain decorated
DESGBIPTIVE.
141
Chinese cycles are of sixty years, and the present cycle, com-
mencing in 1864,
cycle
fix
is
is
the
number
very
of the
it is
difficult to
rare,
is
referred
is
on
the
Nien-hao
emperor
his reign.
from the beginning of the first new year and is supposed to signify the qualities of the Emperor. Thus the Nien-hao of the Emperor Kuang-hsu, who is now reigning, means " inherited lustre." Since the accession of the Ming Djoiasty there is only one instance of a Nien-hao being changed during the reign this occurred when the Emperor Ch'^ng-tung recovered his power after seven years of dethronement, when he assumed the new Nien-hao of T'ien-shun. In order to convey an exact date the number of the year of any Nien-hao should be inscribed, but this rarely occurs on porcelain. The fullest date on porcelain is usually of six
It dates
;
two,
writing
and occasionally in one horizontal line. Like all Chinese it reads from right to left, and in the case of columns
six-character
The
as follows
Two
and two more which are the same in nearly every case and simply signify " period " and " made." This is a six-character mark of the period of the Emperor Hstian-t^. It
reads, ta
ming
hsiian
nien
chi,
it will
" great
Ming >fg_
JQEJ
"^
Thus
be seen that
collector,
^
.S,
. .
the
most
the
Nien-hao,
^U
of
q
the
and the top character of the left-hand column. In the four ' character date mark the
title
BUSOBIPTIVE.
143
4 m
Wan-U or Wan-leih
(1573-1619).
4 #
Tien-ki or T'ien-ch'i
(1621-1627).
II.
nn
II
4 t
OllJi
14
fin
K'ang-hsi or Kang-he (1662-1722).
IE
A.
i^^
^Ji-
t m isi t
Ttmg-chSiig or YTmg-oh'ing (1723-1735).
ft
ill
u D
4#
Ch'ien-long or Eeen-
ii
m
Tao-koang or Taou-kwang
(1821-1850).
Inng (1736-1795).
m
ftif
Tao-kuang or TaoQ-kwang
(1821-1850).
Cliia^cli'ing
or Kea-king (1796-1820).
tA
4
't
Hsien-ftog or Heen-fung (1851-1861).
BE80RIPTIYE.
145
on the subject down to the present date. "The term 'hall* is used in its most comprehensive sense, ranging from the palace
or pavilion of the Emperor, which the piece was destined to
mark
of his
humble workshop,
so as
artist
who
name
of his
A few of
the
"
many more
may be found
in other works.
tm
tcmg chi. "
beautiful jade.
^ ^
A
mei-yuh,
^
t
Luh-i tmg. "The (waving Luh-i bamboo) Hall."
Tsai-j-im tang ehi.
I-yeio
tcmg
chi,
Made
"Made
Tsai-jun
liant
at the
(bril-
"Made
at the
at the Tseu-shua
(coutinuousprosperity) Hall," of
coIoutb)
HaU."
^
Ta-shu tang chi. " Made at the Ta-shu (great
tree) Hall."
tl&
J.
Mi-yuh tcmg chi. " Made at the Ki-yuh (rare
jade) Hall."
I-yuhtang
chi.
"Made
"
146
0HINE8E FOBOELAIN.
3.
Happiness,
The three things most desired by the Chinese are Fuh ; Longevity, Shou ; and Prosperity,
Luh.
to-
and the two former are represented by the immense variety of devices, which
sometimes cover a whole
these are given on this
piece.
Some
of
S
"Longevity." shou. cnriouB form of eeal character known in Holland 88 the spider mark.
Ftt-lcim
Wan shou vm
lire)
Chiang.
(May you
" Good Ghi-hsiang ju i. fortune and fulfilment of wishes."
out ending
* m.
ChHng.
Tachi. "Great good luck."
in the a Chinese
"Con-
" cash."
Mr
- ni
l-
gratulations."
Shuang hsi. "Double, or wedded, joy." Specially inscribed on pieces intended for bridal presents.
win.
PLATE
Ruhy -hacked
d'or at
XXII.
the back.
In the centre
is
a large leaf-shaped
panel, surrounded
by a
floral diaper,
ground
it
a lady seated
;
two small boys playing beside her, one holding a lotus flower, the other a gilded ju-i sceptre two large jars stand on the ground, and there is a table behind
in a chair, with
it,
the accessories of
is
The
en-
by three borders, a band of pink with dragon scrolls, interrupted by medallions of floral scrolls in blue, between narrower diapered bands of green and yellow
ground.
Upon
its
border
is
with four dragon medalhons, and interrupted by four treUis-bordered panels containing sprays of pseony, aster, chrysanthemum, and Rosa sinensis; this is succeeded
inside
by a
by a gilded
rim of the
as the
"
plate.
is
known
round the
(Diam. 8J
in.)
DESOBIPTIVE.
147
^
Zu. " Rank, promotion."
4.
SI
S.uo. "State,
Gtovemment."
pivot, and the most polite Shoofoo. expression for the house of another palace of the centre of the universe.
(Mark
used, 1260-1367.)
Marks
in
ARE Inscribed.
Slum.
"Elegant." Sing. "Exalted." Tuh. "Jade." Chin. "Apearl" Ku. "Antique." or " gem."
i
^?-
5^
-4-
^ ^ ^ %
Shing.
"Holy."
Ttuen.
"Com-
J^
Wan
yS.
^_
Chen yU
"True jade."
Tau,an. "Elegant
raiity."
Ei shihpao
"A
gem among
oious vessels of
prerare
Zi yH pao ting ehi chin. "A gem among pre<aous vessels of rare
Tsae
ehuan chi h.
"Enjoymg themselves
the
jade."
stone."
waters."
Kichiniooyuh. '
'
" A gem
rare a^ jade."
IF&.
.M?
to
i<.
"Sohol^^p lofty
as the hills
148
OHINESE POBGELAIN.
5.
The
the emblems of which are the ki-lin, the deer, the hare, the fox, the tortoise, the stork, the pine, bamboo, plum, peach, gourd,
fungus.
The
Ju-i,
or
sceptre of longevity
is,
says Franks,
not strictly an
emblem
of longevity, but
it is
often given at
I.
Pa paou. The
Pearl or "Tide
A coin as an emblem of
riches.
An
Jewel."
solid
lozenge^
last
variant of
symbol.
Xittff.
Emblem
of
Two
happiness or luck.
A pair of
rhinoceros
horns.
II.
Pa
Lucky Emblems
of the
Buddhists.
Zun.
A wheel,
enveloped in
A chank shell.
San.
State umbrella.
by ch%mg, a
bell.
Kae.
A canopy.
Swa,
The
lotus.
This
fillets.
is
without
Fig. 52.
ch'ien-ltjng blue
"
DE80BIFTIYE.
149
Kwan,
vase with
F.
covdr.
fillets;
Chang.
An emblem of
longevity.
mestic
The Taoist
may
be added here.
They
are
III.
Pa an
hsien.
Taoists.
1.
Shan.
Ch'tlan,
with which
he is said
2.
Chien.
Lll Tung-pin.
3.
Hu4u.The
Pan.
Pilgrim's
Gourd
of Li T'ieh-kuai.
4.
5. 6. 7. 8.
The Castanets of Ts'ao Kuo-ch'iu. Hua Lan. The Basket of Flowers of Lan Ftt Kw. The Bamboo Tube and Rods of Chang Kuo.
Ts'ai-ho.
Han Hsiang
Tzu.
Lien
Hijua.
(^7^
Joo-e,
or
sceptre of
lonin-
gevity,
and musical
struments.
Peach and Bat. The peacli is an emblem of longevity, and the bat of happiness. Here
they symbolise the phrase Fuh show shwamg chuen, a of twofold perpetuation happiness and longevity.
T%,
a cake a sceptre of longevity, symbolising the phrase P ting joo-e. " May things be fixed as
ting,
a pencil ;
;
of ink
joo-e,
you
desire.
150
OHINESE POROELAIN.
Wan-tse. TenthouBundthings,
Gourd.
An emblem
of Ion-
" character.
Incense
burner,
A bat.
The famous set of eight trigrams Head of sceptre of Hare. longevity derived known as the Fa-kwa.
from the fungus.
Emblem of longevity,
Stork.
A
;
tailless bird,
stork
below
it
is
apparently a an engraved
number and a zig-zag, cut with the wheel, a mark placed on china which has belonged to the collection in the Japanese Palace at Dresden.
Fly.
Lotus.
A four-leaved flower.
(Chrysanthemum).
BESOniPTIYE.
151
A five-leaved flower,
peach blossom.
Several varieties of leaves, one of them with the fillets that distinguish the symbols.
Fungus. Varieties of the Ghe plant, a kind of fungus {Polyporus lucidus) employed as an emblem of longevity.
6.
PoTTEEs'
least
Marks.
is
many
given.
pieces,
one
is
not found on
This
one of the
imeommon,
and is the mark Ko Ming^hsiang, date unknown. Potters' marks are not uncommon on
pieces of
Fu-chien white.
162
0HINE8E POBOELAIN.
'
The Goddess Kuanyvn. A Buddhist divinity whose images She is called the Queen of Heaven, and her name means "Hearer of Prayers" (illustrated in Fig. 25), of whom a more detailed account is to be found in Anderson's
are often found.
"British
Museum
Catalogue"
(p.
46).
Buddha, "Arhat" meaning "worthy." Images of them are placed ia attendance upon those of Buddha in Chinese temples. The sixteen Arhats are to be found in the Chinese Buddhist Tripitaka. The modem Chinese have increased the number to
The Arhats
and 10) are constantly represented apart tiger and the dragon, which
man
chair,
tablets,
and
fly
brush.
t'sho, seated
on a
priestly
3.
4.
5.
li to sho, with MS. scroll an attendant with a gong accompanies him. Su PIN sho is seated on a mat, his hands on his knees. Noh chu na, on a priest's chair, and a rosary in his
Poh
hand.
6.
7.
8.
side.
Chia li chia, on a rock; a scroll in his hand. Fa sho LO Fo sho lo, on a stool a knotted
;
staff
in
his hand.
9.
Shu poh
Pan sho
chia, on a rock, with a gem which a crouching dragon endeavours to get from him
,
11.
La hu
la, his
PLATE
Jar with
tlie
XXIII.
rose of
cover, painted in
d'or class,
studded with
chrysanthemum blossoms, and interrupted by reserved panels and medallions of varied shape. The panels are fiUed with sprays of flowers, including peach blossoms and lilies, paeonies and roses, tendrUled branches of grape-vine, The decoration is completed by diapered bands, etc. enclosing small medallions, round the foot and shoulder of the vase, and round the rim of the cover, which is surmounted by a knob painted to represent a lotus bud. (H.
16
in.)
DESOBIPTIVE.
12.
153
Na
Yin
CHiii SI NA,
water ascends.
13.
CHii; sho,
staff
capped
branch
with
14.
fish carried
by an attendant.
a vase
Fa na pho
tst, before
with peach
without leaves.
15.
16.
and seated on
Longevity
The Ood of Longevity (Shou-lao). The figure of the God of is frequently found on Ghiaese porcelain either by
himseK or together with the eight Immortals. Statuettes of him are also common. He may always be known by his extremely tall, bald head. He is generally resting or riding on a stag, holding in his hand a ju-i or joo-e, or "sceptre of longevity." He is also found on a tortoise. He is sometimes holding in his hand the fruit of the fabulous peach tree. Fan-too, which blossoms every three thousand years, and only
yields its peaches three
W. Franks
:
Immortals
"
The
Pa
the TaoLst sect, said to have lived at various times and attained
immortality.
They
also to be
found as separate
figures, of
which there
are two sets, one standing, the other seated; sometimes they ornament the edges of plates, standing on various animals
* Tljfi Three Star Gods of Happiness, Itank, and Longevity (Fu Ln, Shon, San Hsiug) are often associated, being grouped in the decoration of a vase, or separately moulded, as in the fine figures reproduced here (Figs. 4, 6, 6) from the Salting
collection, S. "W. B.
154
CHINESE PORCELAIN.
the waves of the sea, and their symbols occasionally
:
among
"1.
occur as devices
Han
Chttng-le.
Said
to
and
to
have obtained
his
He
is
generally repre-
sented as a fat
man
is
with a bare
belly,
and holds in
hand a
His
emblem
as Chung-le Kwan. While a magistrate of the district of Teh-hwa, he is said to have encountered Han Chung-le among the recesses of the Lu Shan, from whom he learnt the mysteries of alchemy and of the elixir of immortality. He was exposed to a series of temptations ten in number and
is
a fan (skan).
He
is
also
known
" 2. Lett
Tung-pin.
Bom
a.d. 765.
having overcome them, was invested with a sword of supernatural power, with which he traversed the empire, slaying
His emblem
is
a sword (keen).
It is uncertain
when he
himself,
lived
he was
to
this
by Lao Tsze
who used
To do
summon him
his spirit
had
of a disciple.
On
when the disembodied spirit returned the body was Le Tee-kwae therefore took refuge in the body of a lame beggar, in Whose shape he continued his existence, supporting himself on a crutch or staff. His emblem is the pUgrim's gourd (hu-lu), and he holds a staff in his hand. "4. TsAOU Kwo-KiTJ. Said to be the son of Tsaou Pin, a military commander who died A.D. 999, and brother of the Empress Tsaou How. He is therefore represented as wearing a
away, and
gone.
court head-dress.
is
Lan
a
Tsae-ho.
sidered
female.
(hwa-lan).
PLATE XXIV.
Six Small Vases from the Salting Collection, ranging in height from 5 in. to 3 in., exhibiting some of the monochrome glazes. In the centre are two of the copper silicate developments of the grand feu; a water receptacle (on a
stand) of the peau-de-pSche class, displa3dng a pinkish-red
rare
On
the right
a foliated vase
as
known sometimes
bisilicate.
shade of the
is
kua-p'i-lii, or
cucumber
green,
of the
Chinese, which
a copper
On
the
stands a small vase of the flambd class, with a plum-coloured or aubergine ground thickly strewn with
left
by the
soufflA
method, to
DE80BIPTIVE.
" 6.
155
to have flourished towards the and middle of the eighth centuries. He was a great necromancer, and used to be accompanied by a white mule, which carried him immense distances, and when not required was folded up and put away. The Emperor Ming
Chang Ko-laou.Said
he refused
to go.
He
bamboo tube (yu-hu), a kind of musical instrument used by Taoists, and two rods to beat it, the latter,
represented with a
Han
Seang-tsze.
Said
to
be a great-nephew of the
Han Yu (who Uved A.D. 768-824). He was a pupil of Leu Tung-pin, by whom he was carried to the fabulous peach-tree of the genii, but fell from its branches. He
statesman and philosopher
is
emblem
is
a flute
(tieh).
"8.
Ho
Seen-koo.
Stated
the
to
Ho
Tai, of
She used
to indulge in
soHtary wanderings
among
hills,
She was summoned to the court of the Empress Wu (A.D. 690-705), but on her way disappeared. She carries in her hand a lotus flower (leen-hwa),
supposed to produce immortahty.
Wang Mu.
sex, dwelling
upon Mount Kw'en Lun, at the head of the troops of genii, and holding from time to time intercourse with favoured According to the books of Chow, the imperial votaries.
Emperor Muh "Wang was entertamed (985 b.c.) by Si Wang Mu Lake of Gems in the West. By the borders of this lake grows the peach tree of the genii, whose fruit confers the gift of
at the
She
to
is
Emperor Han
Wu
and
Ti,
and
is
She
attired
by two young
one of
whom
156
OHINESE POBGELAIN.
holds a large fan and the other a basket with the peaches She often rides upon a phoenix (see Mayers' of longevity.
"
Chinese Reader's
of
Manual,"
p.
178,
and Anderson's
at
" Cata-
logue
Chinese
p. 221).
the
British
Museum,"
FABULOUS ANIMALS.
The four fabulous animals
are
(1)
so often seen
on Chinese porcelain
hairy animals.
The The
all
scaly
pre-eminent
among
the
The dragon
beasts,
and is regarded as the king of the scaly tribe. "There are three dragons the lung in the sky, the li in the sea, and the kiau in the marshes. The first is the only
It
frog, scales of
and pahn of a tiger. On each side of the mouth are whiskers, and its beard contains a bright pearL The breath is sometimes
changed into water and sometimes into
the jingling of copper pans.
fire,
and
its
voice
is like
The dragon
is
the ruler of
oceanic phenomena.
The dragon
relic
is
the superstition of
of
towards
it is
probably a modified
of ancient
times"
Lwng
The
Celestial
them
fall.
|2i
O H
1^
(2
DESOBIPTIVE.
(2) "
157
The
Spiritual Dragon,
to
blow
The Dragon of the Eajth, that marks out the courses of rivers and streams. (4) " The Dragon of the Hidden Treasures, which watches
over the wealth concealed from mortals.
"
horns
or
There are few variations of form and many of colour. The may be wanting, the body may become wholly serpentine-
may be exchanged for that of a winged fish, and the head may become shortened and lose its impressive character " (see
Anderson's " Catalogue of Chinese and Japanese Paintings at
the British
Museum ").
artist,
The
seen,
but
snow-white, yellow,
and
blue
its
are perhaps
most frequently
dragon
its
the emblem
own
has
and that
and fourth
rank only
four.
On
hzard-like dragon
tail.
is
It
bearded like a
bronzes.
manthis
is
The
ki-lin.
It is diflBcult to decide
for
it
contains
many
its
different creatures.
its face, its central horn, its scaly hide, and was probably suggested by the rhinoceros.
To judge from
cloven
feet, it
its
the unicorn ") protruding from the middle of head, feet and legs like a deer, and a tufted tail.
other
name
"
its
it
exhibits great
when
or sages
"
158 like
CHINESE POBOELAIN.
Confucius, are
bom
it
to govern
Williams' "
of good government
also
and teach mankind" (see As well as being an emblem a symbol of long life, and is
important of the fabulous
The
animals,
and
is
porcelain.
Sir
W. Franks
tail is
says
The
tortoise
was
also a supernatural
animal, and
its shell
The
tortoise
with
a hairy
Chinese
as
Kwei-ho-tvmg-chu/n, signifies
stork.'
and huang, of the female, of a fabulous bird of wondrous form and mystic
The f4ng-huang.
"
FSng, the
name
among
The
compound
'
'
frequently translated
The phoenix
famous
said to be
of Chinese legend
is
plumage, the
which are
as having
emblems of the five cardinal virtues. Mr. Hippisley says that " One writer describes
and the outward semblance
tail
it
of a dragon, to
of a
fish.
made
its
advent of virtuous
rulers,
whose presence
an
emblem
"It
may
It is said originally to
before
they
now
that
of
the
Empresses.
159
Glossarp.
[In this glossary porcelain is included in the term pottery. Many of the technical terms are explained in other parts of the hoohI\
Blanc de Chine.
with colour.
Biscuit.
decorated
Boccaro.
fine
Body or
paste. The substance of which pottery is made. terms "hard paste" and "soft paste" are used, but
to
The
it
is
draw the line where one ends and the other The hardest paste is that composed entirely of clay begins. derived from natural feldspathic rocks, and called haolvn and petuntsi by the Chinese. It needs the highest heat to bake it. Probably all Chinese porcelain is so composed. But a certain description of Chinese porcelain goes by the name of " soft paste." It would be more properly called " soft glaze," as
difficult
the paste
is
is
fusible at
a lower temperature
is
Celadon.
The term
sometimes, but
erroneously, applied to
any piece
of porcelain covered
with a
Enamels.
This term
may
less glaze, to
cover
ordinary
the
upon
glaze,
exclusively
reserved to
the
which are sometimes called vitreous enamels, and comparatively low temperature.
vitrify at a
Famille verte and famille rose. Classes of decoration in overglaze enamels in which green and rose predominate respectively.
160
OHINEBE POBOELAIN.
Feux.
Grcmd/eu, the heat of the oven. Demi-grand feu, the heat of hard
kihi.
Glaze, the glassy covering of pottery {see also Enamels). It is put on in a liquid state, by immersion, by sprinkling, or by being
Gombroon ware.
blown on through gauze (soufU). term applied in the eighteenth century to ware imported from Gombroon, in the Persian Gulf. It may have included Chinese and other ware, but it is now generally used for a beautiful white old Persian pottery with a milky trans-
Hard paste
is
now made
and other places in Europe. It used to be made at Plymouth and Bristol, but aU English porcelain is now of a hybrid nature Uke the hard paste, it contains china clay and feldspath, but to these is added a large percentage of phosphate of lime obtaiued from burnt bones. Indian china. A term once applied to all porcelain brought by the East India Companies to Europe from the East but it is now believed that none of it was made in India itself. Kiln, or Muffle /din, a small oven in which soft glazes and overglaze enamels are baked (petit feu). term introduced by Jacquemart to designate Mandarin china. pieces of porcelain, especially large polychrome jars, on which figures of mandarins and their suites were painted in panels surrounded by a superabundance of clumsy flowers and ornaments which cover the whole ground. This description of decoration is later than the Ming Dynasty, and the term is now a trade term, very loosely employed (see GuUand,
;
p. 208).
Mertabani.
celadon,
term applied by Persians and Turks to pieces which are prized by them as detectors of poison.
161).
of
fine
hard pottery.
It
is
translucent,
and
partially
vitrified.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
The Chinese include some stoneware but it must have a clear, strong ring
Persian pottery
is
161
in the term " porcelain," to qualify
it.
The
finest
Se^gars.
oven.
Slip.
Boxes made
Unbaked
pottery,
stifiF
cream, and
used on
common
of
this
slip
and
is
also
on
is
porcelain.
decoration
is
what
known
as pdtesttr'pdte,
where the
Spurmarks.
found on the bottom of pieces of pottery, and caused by the props on which they are supported in the kUn. They are found
on nearly
Souffle
{see
all
Japanese
pieces,
pieces.
"Glaze").
BibliOdrapDp*
The following
is
:
list of
to Chinese porcelain
Catalogue
Museum.
des
Poteries, consid^rees dans leur .histoire, leur pratique, et leur th^orie. Troisieme edition, avec notes et additions par Alphonse
Salvetat.
Illustrations et marques.
Paris, 1877.
Arts Club. Catalogue of Blue and White Monkhouse and Mills, 1895. Oriental Porcelain. Burlington Fine Arts Club.Catalogue of Coloured Porcelain. Monkhouse and Mills, 1896.
Burlington
Fine
Bushell,
Dr.
S.
W. Oriental
of
Ceramic
in'
Art.
lUustrated
of
with
T.
plates
and cuts
specimens
the collection
W.
Appleton Walters, with complete history of Oriental Porcelain. 1897. York, New and Co., Chinese Porcelain before the present Dynasty. Bushell, Dr. S.
W.
Peking, 1886.
Published D'Entrecolles, P^re.- Letters written ia 1712 and 1722. in "Lettres edifiantes et curieuses." Du Sartel, Octave. La Porcelaine de Chine. Origines ; fabrications, Paris, 1881. ddcors, et marques. Illustrations et marques.
162
CHINESE POBOELAIN.
Franks, Sir A. Wollaston. Bethnal Green Museum Catalogue of Second Edition, 1878. (This collection is Oriental Porcelain.
Graesse,
Beitrage
Porzellanfabrication,
Topfer-und Glasmacher-
Erlautert kunst bei den verschiedenen Nationen der Erde. durch eine detaUlirte Beschreibung der KonigUch Sachsischen
Dresden, 1853.
Faiences.
jusqu'a present.
5,200 facsimiles.
Gbakdidier, Ernest. La C^ramique Chinoise. Paris, 1894. Privately Griggs, William. Illustrations of Armorial China. London, 1887. printed. GuLLAND, W. G. Chinese Porcelain. London, 1898. Hippisley, Alfred E. The Ceramic Art in China. Extracted from
EiRTH,
F.,
Ph.D.
Ancient Porcelain.
and
Trade.
Industry
1888.
Jacqdemakt, Albert.
Histoire de
and 200
C^ramique.
Twelve etchings hy
Jides Jacquemart,
cuts.
Histoire
de
la
artistique,
commerciale de
Paris, 1862.
la Porcelaine.
26 etchings by
Porcelaine
Jules Jacquemart.
JuLiEN, Stahislas.
Chinoise.
Paris, 1856.
Histoire
de
la
fabrication
History of Pottery and Porcelain. Third Edition. London, 1868. Maters, William Frederick. The Chinese Reader's Manual.
Marryat, Joseph.
Shanghai, 1874.
Lung-Ch'iian-yao,
stehende Fragen.
Berlin, 1889.
illustrative
Museum
op Practical Geology.
Catalogue of specimens
of the composition
by the Romans
to the
BIBLIOGBAPET.
present time.
163
la
By
Sir
Henry Thomas de
(Trenham).
PAtiiOLoauE, M.
L'Art Ohinois. Paris, 1887. Catalogue of Blue and White Nankin Thompson, Sir Heney. Porcelain, forming the collection of Sir Henry Thompson. London, 1878. Illustrated. Watkins, W. Old Indo-European Porcelain. Hereford, 1882. Williams, S. Wells. The Middle Kingdom. New York and London,
1861.
Fig.
1.
Hexagonal Lantern
The
of
eggshell
porcelain,
painted with
floral
medallions
Victoria
containing
Albert
butterflies.
10|
in.,
d.
7f
in.)
and
Museum.
427.
Fig.
2.
Ovoid Jar, and flat porcelain cover, with Elizabethan mounts and handle, silver gilt. Painted in shaded blue with a landscape, a military officer in the foreground about to tie up his charger to a post, and with a mountain scene on the cover. scroll band is lightly etched round the shoulder of the vase in the paste under the glaze, a frequent decorative device of
the
Fig.
3.
Ming
dynasty.
(H. 7^
in.)
Salting Collection.
relief
panels
upon
richly
and a chess-board, symbols of the four elegant accomplishments, in the foliated medallions on the shoulder; landscape pictures of the four seasons, birds, and flowers in the eight panels of varied outline on the body ; the typical flowers of the four seasons, sprays of pseony, lotus, chrysanthemum, and (H. 21^ in.) prunus, in broad medallions round the foot.
Salting Collection.
I'iG. 4.
No. 76.
of happiness, with a
boy carry-
ing a lotus blossom upon his arm, ready to be bestowed upon a Decorated with famille verte enamels of favoured votary.
166
CHINESE POBGELAIN.
the K'ang-hsi period, the robe brocaded with sprays of prunus and magpies, dragon medallions, and borders of pseonies. (H.
17j
Fig. 5.
in.)
Salting Collection.
No.
25.
Lu
Hsing, the Taoist star-god of rank, with whiskers and drooping moustachios of real hair, carrying a jewelled jvri sceptre in his left hand. Decorated with famille verte
enamels of the K'ang-hsi period, dressed in a yellow robe brocaded with green dragons and phoenixes, and with medallions
of lotus, prunus,
and pseony
in.)
emblem.
Fig. 6.
(H. 16
Salting Collection.
No. 21.
Shou Hsing,
face,
of the famille verte, with touches of coral red and gold, being
and phoenixes, and a robe brocaded with gilded and white chrysanthemums upon a scrolled red ground. (H. 19 in.)
Salting Collection.
Fig.
7.
No. 23.
Round
wen).
produce the
The
The
fifth
daub
ring,
Mark
Ta
Salting Collection.
Fig.
8.
No. 850.
Ts'ai-ho, one of the eight Taoist genii, carry-
Figure of Lan
rocky pedestal.
turquoise glazes.
(H. 13J
Fig.
in.)
Victoria
lotus.
9.Large Fish Bowl of imperial "five-colour" Ming dynasty. Decorated in enamel colours,
porcelain of the
red, green, and yellow, with touches of black, in combination with under-glaze
167
cobalt blue. The decoration consists of four five-clawed dragons in the midst of scrolled clouds, rising from a rocky sea -with crested waves, and of a scroll border round the rim. Inside the rim is the inscription, pencilled in blue, Ta Ming Wan U nien
cMh,
"Made
in
the
reign
of
(dynasty)" (1573-1619).
Collection.
(H.
22J
d.
21 J
in.)
Bushell
Fia. 10.
Tall Beakee-shaped Vase of the Ming dynasty, painted in {wu ts'ai). The main decoration is a garden scene with rocks and palms, exhibiting two ladies in ordinary dress, and a group of children masquerading in fancy costume, two under a lion's skin, others beating drums, etc. The middle
"five colours"
is
section
decorated with
;
sprays
of
flowers,
peeonies,
and
convolvulus
(H. 22 in.)
Fia. 11.
Bushell Collection.
Jar
of the
Ming
period, painted in
An
seated in the
banner screens over his head, while a military procession is approaching from the back with soldiers holding flags, halberds,
etc.
Bushell Collection.
Fig. 12.
Wine
hollowed stalk forms the spout and a branchlet the handle, the
leaves
being worked in
relief
on the surface
of
the
fruit.
down
in streaks of varying colour with the soft blue crackled ground in effective contrast. Fig. 13.
in.)
Salting Collection.
No. 582.
Water Receptacle
form of a
squirrel with
is
a bunch of grapes in
hoUowed out to make the spout. a pale purple enamel, the rim has a yellow stalk and green leaves, and the grapes are touched with dark purple. (H. 3^ in.)
Salting Collection.
Fig. 14.
No. 183.
of the K'ang-hsi period, enamelled
Decorated
168
0EINE8E POBGELAIN.
with rich
floral
and framing broaJ ^janel pictures, two lower ones containing flowers and birds, and two ip. the middle with ogre-like monsters in garden scenes. The foot is encircled by a broad band of pseonies, and the upper segment of the gourd by a band of chrysanthemum scrolls, from which a ring of palmations springs np to ornament the neck, opposite strings of beads hanging down from another brocaded band round the flaring rim of the vase. (H. 22 in.) Salting Collection. No. 872.
Fig.
15.
Small Fish Bowl, painted in polychrome enamels of the Yung-chSng period, a good example of the pure colouring, delicate shading, and finished technique of the imperial ware of this reign. It is decorated with a posy of variegated lotus and other graceful blossoms, tied with a wavy red ribbon, and sweeping round to the back of the bowl, where a pair of butterflies is flying in the air. The ornamental border round the. rim is a chain of jewelled sceptre-heads. The mark, pencilled in blue, within a double ring, under the foot, is Ta Ch'ing Tung
cheng nien chih
Collection.
(see
p. 143).
(H. 5f
in.,
d.
in.)
Bushell
Fig. 16.
Large Vase
and pink {rouges dor) predominating. The body is covered with an elaborate floral decoration composed of tree-pseonies and passion flowers, magnolia and olea fragrans, marguerite daisies and other smaller flowers in rich profusion. The rim is encircled by a band of gilded fret on a coral-red ground, and the shoulder by a band of similar fret in two shades
enamel
colours, crimson
of
floral
filled
XXII.
foot
are pink
in.)
and the lotus-leaf borders round the upon narrow bands of dark green and blue.
(H. 52
Fig. 17.
Bushell Collection.
Kuan
Ti, the
Ming dynasty. Kuan Yii, a hero wars of the third century, was deified a thousand years ago, and is still worshipped as a state god. Seated in a
porcelain (Chien Tz'ti) of the
of the civil
169
"with branches of pines and sprays of prunus, of dignified mien, with traditional frowning features,
province.
Fig. 18.
(H. 13
in.)
Salting Collection.
No. 5315.
{pi fung) of openwork with a syastika fret design. wine-cup of delicate FSn-ting ware in the shape of a folded lotus leaf with flower and seed-vessel on
A brush-pot
in
carved
the rim.
in
figures in
Two
left
one
combination with
medallions
overlaid with
biscuit
undercut
relief of the
longevity
A
1 in.
AU
but the
in.,
first
(H. 6
1^
in.,
2J
in.,
in.,
X
Fig. 19.
1.
3 in.)
Bushell Collection.
of oblong section
Four-footed Censer
having loop handles, scrolled feet springing from monsters' heads, and a movable cover surmounted by the figure of a lion.
It
is
shades, deepening
Collection.
invested with a finely crackled turquoise glaze of softest where it is thickest. (H. 12 in.) Salting
No. 1088.
Fig. 20.
Triple Gourd Vase, one of a pair, decorated with monochrome grounds of the grand feu in combination with blue and The upper part is painted with floral sprays and butterwhite. flies, blue on white, and brocaded medallions, white on blue;
the lower part with
broad
chin),
separated by three rings of celadon (tung ch'ing), of which the upper ring is crackled, the two lower rings being of plain
texture.
Salting Collection.
Fig.
blue.
(H. 10|
in.)
21.Vase
ground
of the
artistically
blue, coral-red
and gold, outlined and shaded in black, with flowering prunus and bamboo, birds and butterflies ; floral sprays on the neck, and a spiral band to define the swelling shoulder.
(H. 14^
in.)
Salting Collection.
No. 129.
170
Fig. 22.
0HINE8E POEGELAIN.
Vase
of solid form, with the handles roughly modelled in the
shape of elephants' heads, covered with a crackled yellow glaze of thick, unctuous aspect, which spreads over the rim into the typical example of the " old yellow crackle,'' called mouth.
mir8&
by the Chinese, i.e. the colour of yellow millet '60. 958. Victoria and Albert Museum. (H. 8 J in.)
seed.
Fig. 23.
Jar
(or base of
porcelain,
bought in Persia.
slip.
worked
Albert
(H. 3|
'76.
in.,
d.
5f
in.)
Victoria
and
Museum.
Fig. 24.
1700.
Saucer-shaped DiSH,'with wavy rim, painted in dark blue five aster blossoms on a scrolled ground, and fourteen asters and leaves radiating up the rim, sprays on the outside. (D. 9 in.) Monkhouse Collection.
with
Fig. 25.
She wears a tiara with an image of Buddha in front and a jewelled necklet. lotus blossom at her feet is guarded by a pair of dragons ; and the figure of a boy in the attitude of adoration is posed upon a lotus thalamus on either side. (H. 15 in.) Victoria and Albert Museum. 19. '86.
Fig.
26.
of
decorated
dragons
and
phoenixes.
The
five
above and
formal flowers.
of the
The
ma/rh,
under the
foot, is
Ta Ming Lung
20
in.)
Made
(H. 17|
in., d.
BusMl
Collection.
Fig.
27.
Powder Blue Vase of brilliant tone, with reserved medallions decorated with flowers growing from rocks, painted on a pellucid white ground in brightest enamel colours of the K'ang-hsi period. (H. 1\ in.) Salting Collection. No. 208.
171
white, decorated on each side with a 93) filled with a blue scaly ground
on which two white, naked boys are relieved, and over this scaly ground lotus flowers are painted in deep blue between the panels are lotus flowers simply painted in blue on the white body." (H. 7Jj- in.) Monkhouse Collection.
;
Fig. 29.
Small Globular Jar of blue and white porcelain, decorated with scrolled ground and chevron borders, and inscribed with a
large shuomg-hsi " double- joy " character, intended to hold tea as
a wedding present
house Collection.
Fig. 30.
(see
marks,
p.
14:6).
(H. 4
in.)
Monk-
Bowl, with
fluted sides
(H. 3f
in.,
d.
Monkhouse
entirely,
Collection,
Fig.
31.
Hawthorn
Bottle.
Covered
except
Kght
chevron band round the rim, with branching prunus, displaying large flowers reserved in white, upon a bright mottled blue
ground.
"
A very
rare "
(p.
(H. 17
in.)
Salting Collection.
No. 423.
polychrome enamels of the K'ang-hsi period, in artistic style and delicate finish. The decoration of the body of the vase is
composed of tiny sprays of the hundred flowers {po hua) of the Chinese garden strewn upon a green ground stippled with black,
by foliated medallions filled with birds, butterflies and flowers, fish and Crustacea. The neck is covered with the hundred antiquities (po ku), and the handles are pencilled in (H. 21 in.) black on a yeUow ground to simulate basket-work. 122. Salting Collection. No.
interrupted
Fig.
33.
coloured enamels, green, yellow, red, and over-glaze blue, with touches of gold, all outlined in black. Decorated with four
monsters sporting with embroidered balls tied with waving fillets, encircling bands of floral brocade and diaper, and rings of fret with hanging symbols. Salting Collectimi. No. 89.
lion-like
172
Fig. 34,
OEINESE FOBOELAIN.
Wine Pot mounted upon
a shaped brocaded pedestal, with a
grotesque lion rising on one side to serve as handle, having a
fillet
the cover
floral
surmounted by a smaller
lion.
Decorated with
'55.
(H. 9
Fig. 35.
Victoria
and
Albert
Museum.
1970.
The
and emblems on the soft-looking crackled white ground, called by the Chinese Fen-ting, and is a specimen of the so-called " soft-paste " of American collectors. The neck is restored in silver. The smaller are snufi" bottles, 3J in. high, of ordinary blue and white, decorated with scattered medallions of floral brocade. Their stoppers are mounted with ivory spoons to ladle out the snuff. Monkhouse Collection.
Fig. 36.
Small Figure
of
Bushell
Fig. 37.
Figure op Li
T'ai-po, the
capacious wine-pot,
writer's table.
i.e.
designed as a
ts'ai,
San
water receptacle for the " three-colour " decoration sur biscuit,
of black
green, yellow,
and white.
Fig. 38.
(H. 3 J
Water Pot decorated sur biscuit in three colours (son ts'ai). Modelled in the shape of a carp rising from the waves, with two
;
it
a large perforation above for the finger to control the flow of water. Brownish-purple, green, and yellow enamels represent
the usual " three colours " of this style.
(H. 5|
in.)
Victoria
1997.
'55.
39.Tall Vase
glaze blue.
of the K'ang-hsi period, painted with the full enamel palette of the time, including a lustrous black and over-
The decoration is that known as po ku, "the hundred antiques,'' the surface of the vase being covered with bronze and porcelain vases of flowers and peacock feathers,
173
etc., and all sorts and profane. The floral brocade encircling the shoulder is interrupted by medallions to display a book, scroll-picture, chess-board, and lyre, representiQg the
emblems
(H.
28f
Fig. 40.
in.)
Salting Collection.
No.
56.
Quadrangular Vase
and
clear
of the
painted with a
lustrous black
apple-green.
of
the
tree
autumn, and the wild prunus of winter. The neck and foot display smaller panels of flowers growing from rocks, defined on the neck by two rings of chevron ornament, black and red. Bought (Beresford Hope Collection) for U0. (H. 20 in.)
Victoria
Fig. 41.
and
Albert Muse^im.
261.
'86.
pure enamels of the early famiUe rose style. They are decorated with three different scenes in the Chinese play, Hsi Hsiang Chi, " The Story of the Western Wing." The borders are covered with gilded branches of vine and squirrels, spreading over the rims so as to ornament also the
painted in the
dishes.
(D. 8 in.)
Bushell Collection.
Bottle-shaped Vase, painted in the maroon-red of the gramd and feu, a copper silicate, which is pencilled on the raw body, afterwards covered with glaze. The decoration consists of two pairs of dragons of archaic design in the midst of scrolled
clouds, supporting circular longevity characters, with flying bats, symbolising the "five happinesses," and of svastika and shou
symbols with musical stones of jade suspended by beaded strings (H. 11 in.) at the sides, emblems of long life and good fortune.
Salting Collection.
No. 1465.
imperial potteries of the Ch'ien-lung
Fig. 43.
soft tone, period, artistically painted in pure enamel colours of coral red, and yellow lemon greens, pinks and shaded
including
style. with touches of black and blue, after the Ku^ueh HsUan marguerite chrysanthemums, autumn scene, an displays It and crimson-leaved maples, with a pair of quails on
daisies,
174
OSINESE POBOELAIN.
rocks, the decoration being completed
by
scrolled
and
foliated
(H. 9J
in.)
Salting Collection.
Shaped Saucer
and under the rim with flower scrolls painted in relieved by an etched ground of crimson {rouge d^or).
interior
In the
in gold
themum
(D.
on a green ground, and the rim is covered with ciysanscrolls, crimson upon pale green. Underneath is written
mark
4|
in.).
Biishell Collection,
Fig. 45.
Medallion Bowl
last.
of the
floral
colours,
and a similar decoration, in blue, covers the interior of The seal is that of Tao-kuang, figured on p. 143. the bowl.
(D. 6 in.)
Bushell Collection.
china," pencilled in black with a picture
Fig. 46.
by a Chinese hand from a European on the cross, the sword-hilts and helmets of the soldiers, and the four dice which they are casting in the foreground are touched with gold, and the ornamental border round the rim of the plate is lightly gilded.
engraving.
The heads
of the nails
(D. 9 in.)
Fig. 47.
Bushell Collection.
Eound Plate
drawing had been sent, with the name of each colour written in the appropriate compartment. The artist has copied the words "red," "green,"
" blue," but put (D. 8 J in.)
Fig. 48.
Octagonal Plate of the second service, with the Andros arms emblazoned iu the right colours. The ornamental border and floral sprays round the rim are, as usual, of Chinese design. (D. 9Jj- in.) Monhhouse Collection.
Tall Vase
of laquee burgautee porcelain of the K'ang-hsi
Fig. 49.
175
spread upon the unglazed body of the vase, the rims and
The details of the work are executed in thin laminse of mother-of-pearl, occasionally artificially tinted,
so minutely carved that every leaf of a tree
silver are
is
distinct
plates of
etc.,
and gold
leaf applied at
in.)
effect.
(H. 28
Bushell
Fig. 50.
Fu
The handle and spout are coloured yellow, and pencilled with black to imitate wicker-work. The sides are strewn with
cover.
pranus blossoms touched with over-glaze blue, on a green ground stippled with black. The panels in the middle are painted with Taoist legends a boy is seen in front offering a
Wu
Ti of the
Han
(H.
Fig. 51.
in.)
Salting Collection.
No. 990.
last,
Wine
with
scrolls of pseonies,
and blue. On the panel at the back a figure is carrying a branch of peaches stolen from the " tree of life " ; in front he is presenting some of the fruit to an emperor. (H. 9^ in.) Salting
Collection.
No. 991.
scrolled
Fig, 52.
handles
modelled in the shape of branches of polyporus fungus, of Ch'ien-lung blue and white. It is decorated with a complex
forms of shou "longevity appear, one on the neck, the other in the centre of the wheel
series of
emblematic designs.
Two
"
of Hfe
vase.
of the
wheel are the eight Taoist emblems {pa an hsien) tied with
flowers
by
fillets,
covered with bats, symbols of happiness, flying in scrolled clouds. Under the foot is the seal of the Ch'ien-lung period
(see p. 143).
(H. 20
in., d.
15^
in.)
BmheU
Collection.
Fig. 53.
Figure of a Chinese Uon (shih-tzU) on a pedestal moulded in white Fuchien porcelain, with a tube at the back to hold an
176
CHINESE POBOELAIN.
incense stick.
of its fore-feet. It has a fillet in its
(H. 5^
in.)
Fig. 54.
Figuke of a Kylin (ch'i-lin), the Chinese unicorn, with a body and a suggestion of wings Upon the shoulders. The pedestal has a sunk panel at the side with a spray of prunus in relief, and an upright tube at the back to hold a joss-'Stick. Modelled in white Fuchien porcelain. (H. 5^ in.) Monkhouse
scaly
Collection.
LTD.
B.C.