Page 430 - Chinese pottery and porcelain : an account of the potter's art in China from primitive times to the present day

CHAPTER XV

NINETEENTH CENTURY PORCELAINS

^^Chia ChHng (1796-1820)

THERE is little to distinguish the porcelain of this reign from
that of Ch'ien Lung. The old traditions were followed and

the high standard of technical skill was maintained to a great

extent, though in the absence of original ideas the natural tendency

was towards a gradual decline. The blue and white is a mere echo

of the Ch'ien Lung blue and white, as is shown by a square jar in

the Franks Collection, which bears the date corresponding to 1819.

Another dated specimen in the same collection is a little bowl with

design of the "Eight Ambassadors of the Tribes of Man" mounted

on strange beasts, painted in thin garish blue under a bubbly glaze.

There are well-finished monochromes of the Ch'ien Lung type,

conspicuous among which is an intense brick red (derived from

iron), which has all the depth and solidity of a glaze. The enamelled

wares are in no way inferior to their late Ch'ien Lung models, and

the medallion bowls with engraved enamel grounds are particularly

choice. Plate 132, a richly decorated vase belonging to the Lady

Wantage, illustrates a type common to both periods. The design

of ladies of the harem in an Imperial pleasure ground is carefully

painted in mixed colours and enclosed by rich borders of dark ruby

pink enamel, brocaded with polychrome floral scrolls. Another vase

in the same collection (marked Chia Ch'ing) has a movable inner

lining and pierced outer shell richly enamelled in the same style.

The blue green enamel of the Ch'ien Lung porcelain was freely

used to finish off the base and mouth of the vases of this time.

Bushell ^ describes as a speciality of the Chia Ch'ing period, vases

with elaborate scrollwork of various kinds in underglaze blue enhanced

by a richly gilded background ; and the mark of this reign will be
found on many of the choicer snuff bottles, including those sump-

1 0. C. A., p. 464.
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