Know Everything About Chinese Pottery and Porcelain Trade
With the
progress of China in the pottery and porcelain the European nations
started their hunt to imitate or copy the Chinese styles and designs.
The Chinese made drinking-vessels, cups and saucers and teapots
popular in their own styles. The Chinese trade with the European in
the potteries and porcelain
wares grew quite high.
In the reverse
direction, Europeans of all the nations then established in trade
with China, were sending to their agents in the East pieces of
silver, pottery and other articles to have them imitated in the
wonder material; at the same time, they sent engravings and drawings
to be copied as decoration. These tasks were performed by the Chinese
with great skill, and resulted in a constant flood of goods in both
directions throughout the eighteenth century.
A further
stimulus to the trade was public interest in tea drinking, and the
sending of increasing amounts of the leaf from China. The beverage
being new to the West, no drinking-vessels entirely suitable were
available, and the Orientals obligingly sent porcelain cups and
saucers and teapots. Many of these traveled packed in the holds of
East Indiamen with the tea above, so that the bilge water would not
ruin the latter.
The first
teapots sent from the East were made of hard red stoneware; known as
Yi-hsing pottery, and the legend quickly grew that tea could only be
enjoyed if poured from a red pot. It will be found that many of the
first teapots made in Europe (other than those of silver) were of red
stoneware in imitation of the imported ones.
With the
discoveries of Bdttger and the making of porcelain in Europe, the
Chinese monopoly was broken, but the novelty of having something from
far Cathay was sufficient to ensure a market. In addition, the
Chinese wares, in spite of the expenses of packing and transport,
were cheaper than European-made ones. One early effect of European
research was that just as the Chinese had copied the cobalt blue of
the Persians, so they imitated the pink colour used successfully at
Dresden. In the reign of Yung Cheng this was employed extensively and
completely changed the prevailing tone of decorated porcelain. The
opaque pink gave its name to the type of coloring: famille
rose, which lasted for the rest of the eighteenth century
through the reign of Ch'ien Lung.
The
transmission of designs continued, and one popular feature was the
ordering of complete dinner services painted with the coat-of-arms,
crest or initials of the European owner. Punchbowls,
mugs, tea sets, and
innumerable other articles were ornamented in a similar manner and
are sought eagerly today. About 1800, America was also importing from
China, and there remain in the United States many examples of old
porcelain with the insignia of their former owners. An outstanding
punchbowl given to the City of New York in 1802 bears a view of the
city, and is inscribed with the date of presentation as well as the
name of the Chinese artist who painted it.
By many people
on both sides of the Atlantic much of this eighteenth-century
porcelain exported from China is called 'Lowestoff. It was given this
name mistakenly a century ago, and although the error was corrected
soon afterwards the name has stayed.
European tried
to copy the Chinese styles and designs through their missionaries and
embassies officials. With the coming of porcelain in Europe the
Chinese monopoly was broken but the name of Chinese porcelain still
generates enough interest among the people because the people trusted
the product of China in its original forms. |