Page 154 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

Mary wed her first cousin, William the Prince of Orange, in 1677. This union resulted in

her being crowned the Joint Sovereign of Great Britain in 1689 alongside her husband,

the newly appointed William III. Mary developed a distinct taste for porcelain, favoring

the blue-and-white style. Blue-and-white porcelain was developed far earlier than her

rule, with the earliest known examples of this style occurring during the Tang dynasty

(618–907). The wares were continually developed and improved due to technological

advancements in kiln firing. In the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), the application of cobalt

reached full development and by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), blue-and-white

porcelain production had achieved near perfection. The porcelain itself was thin and

finely potted, achieving a pure translucent white tonality. These wares also exhibited

mastery in the application of a deep, vivid cobalt precisely painted to create intricate

designs on each vessel’s surface. It was these Ming blue-and-white wares that first

traveled to a Western market and almost instantly developed a cult following among

society’s elite. It is likely that Mary II first encountered blue-and-white porcelain while

living in Holland. She resided in Holland for nearly 12 years prior to her marriage. In

Holland, the successful Dutch East India Company steadily brought blue-and-white

porcelain into Amsterdam, exposing Mary II to the blue-and-white style. Numerous

works from Mary II’s collection have survived. A large pair of blue-and-white lidded

jars with covers exemplify her taste for these early Chinese porcelain wares (Figure 52).

This pair is marked by the remnants of a red wax seal containing the coat of arms of

Mary II and William III, documenting the provenance of each jar dated back to Mary’s

original collection. Housed at one of Mary II’s homes, Hampton Court, the jars reflected

the blue-and-white aesthetic trend of the time. Each jar has vivid cobalt decoration in

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