Page 28 - Bonhams UK Marsh Collection Art for the Literati November 2, 2022

The Marsh Collection of Ceramics from the Late Ming

and Early Qing Dynasties

Since the late Ming dynasty, ceramics became a 4. The improvement of manufacturing techniques,
sought-after collector’s item within literati circles, the sourcing of cobalt and the change in the
as decorative pieces for living quarters or scholar’s refinery process all greatly accelerated the
objects adorning a desk. The decorative themes manufacturing process. The mining of cobalt from
of ceramics were landscapes following the literati Zhejiang on a mass scale secured the supply of
aesthetic, and designs based on woodblock prints high-quality cobalt pigment.
with literary references. The scholar’s taste was
thus increasingly influential in the manufacture of 5. The improvement in kiln construction - to be
ceramics. To satisfy collectors’ individual tastes, of a gourd shape - stabilises the temperature
objects even began to be privately commissioned. throughout the kiln and improves the success
Patrons often provided drawings of their own rate.
designs and asked to have their own style or studio
names inscribed on the pieces. Some even travelled The kiln sites situated in the Shibaqiao area in
to Jingdezhen personally to sign or write on their Jingdezhen was the great manufacturing centre
ceramic pieces, leaving their own marks on these during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.
Shibaqiao, the centre of Jingdezhen objects. This began the trend of combining literati art Between 2005 and 2008, the excavated pieces from
ceramic manufacturing with ceramics. The making of ceramics making was Shibaqiao and Jinjialong areas are some of the best
elevated from the status of a craft to that of a refined surviving pieces known to us today. This is clear
literati engagement, thus creating a special moment evidence that this area used to be the main centre of
in the history of Chinese ceramics. ceramic production.
Amongst the many decorative themes during the Cobalt is a crucial element in the great advancement
time, the most notable is of figures from famous of ceramic manufacturing during the late Ming and
plays, novels, historical references, folklore, and early Qing dynasties. The cobalt from the Zhejiang
legend. The wares are often decorated with creative mines is colloquially called tugu (local cobalt) and
compositions, painted with vivid and lifelike figures, was used in Jingdezhen to produce official wares
and even the finest details are treated with great from the Wanli to the Qianlong periods. The cobalt
attention. The facial expressions and composure from the Zhejiang mines is of the best quality
of these figures are true to the personalities and and found in the mountains of Jinhua, Guzhou,
characteristics in their literary depictions. These Jiangshan, and Shaoxing throughout Zhejiang
decorations are often based on contemporaneous Province.
woodblock prints from popular plays and novels
from Huizhou of present-day Anhui Province. These The Ming dynasty scholar Song Yingxing in
woodblock prints became a crucial element in Tiangong Kaiwu noted that:
studying the paintings and decoration of ceramics
during that time. ‘Cobalt is used in decorating porcelain wares. This
mineral is mined from the surface of the earth, the
high quality excavated specimen Below are some of the main reasons why ceramics deepest no more than three-feet, and varying quality
manufactured in Jingdezhen reached a pinnacle in of this mineral is to be found in a few provinces.
the late Ming and early Qing dynasties: To purify the ore, one roasts it over fired charcoal.
The best quality ore will display a green shade, the
1. Imperial power withdrew from the industry. The inferior one, slightly celadon, and the lowest quality,
best wzorkers and materials are hence available brown. The best refined ceramics or official wares
to the general public, which has greatly freed the with dragon and phoenix motifs are all using the best
development of ceramics. quality cobalt. The best quality cobalt mines are from
the mountains of Xu and Xin counties, and they are
2. The nascence of a civil society has created a class called zheliao (minerals from Zhe Province).’
of literati-bureaucrats as the largest consumer
group. The aesthetic taste of this class greatly The Tianqi and Chongzhen reigns saw a
influenced the production of ceramics. breakthrough in cobalt refinery technology. A new
method called huoduan fa (method of calcination)
3. The development of an international market has which involves roasting the cobalt ore at a
also created a great demand for ceramics abroad, temperature no higher than the melting point, thus
including the European market lead by the Dutch separating the unstable substances such as crystal
East India Company and also the Japanese water, carbon dioxide or sulfur monoxide from the
Tiangong Kaiwu, volume 7, on market. ore, making the end product easier to be extracted
ceramics, from the 10th year of and created a cobalt of a purer form. The vast
the Chongzhen reign number of ceramics during this period and the early
Qing dynasty attest to this technical advancement.

28 | BONHAMS