Page 131 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

method of government would result in the reestablishment of traditions like the civil

service exam and a society built upon traditional Confucian values. The vase’s display of

numerous sons reflects the traditional values that Yuan’s reign attempted to cultivate.

The duality cultivated by the patronage of Yuan emphasizes both a modern nature while

maintaining a distinct connection to the traditions of the past.

It is possible that Yuan modernized porcelain imagery in an attempt to make it more

applicable to the common man rather than relying solely on auspicious imagery that

exclusively appealed to the societal elite. As time progressed, porcelain depicting figural

motifs became widely utilized by republic artists. Some of these surviving examples

were among the first that incorporated artists’ signatures, visually representing a break

with imperial reign marks. 163 The trajectory of porcelain depicting figures gained

recognition during the Hongxian era and proceeded into the republic to become one of

the most thoroughly documented porcelain styles.

Another aspect of patronage worthy of evaluation is the influence Yuan’s

porcelain style had during his reign and into the republic period. This study has

established that the styles Cixi curated lasted well beyond her lifetime, establishing her as

a patron that left a lasting impression on the porcelain industry. A similar effect can be

observed both during and after Yuan’s reign, establishing the styles associated with

163 Suk Yee Lai, ed., Innovations and Creations: A Retrospect of 20th Century Porcelain from
Jingdezhen, 23. Successful studios and workshops began to form as early as 1920. The most
notable of these Republic studios was a group of eight men known as the Yueyuan Hui 月圓徽
(The Full Moon Society). The men were also commonly referred to as the Zhushan ba you 珠山
八友 (Eight Friends of Zhushan). The artists comprising the group were: Wang Yeting 汪 野亭
(1884-1942), Cheng Yiting 程 意亭(1895-1953), Deng Bishan 鄧 碧珊 (1874-1930), Liu Yucen
劉 雨岑 (1904-1969), Xu Zhongnan 徐仲南(1872-1953), Wang Qi 王 琦 (1884-1937), Wang
Dafan 王 大凡 (1888-1961), He Xuren 何 許人(1882-1940), Bi Botao 畢 伯濤 (1885-1961) and
Tian Hexian 田鶴仙 (1894-1952).

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