Page 163 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

first created by a Dutch painter, Cornelis Pronk (1691–1759), and then used on plates

shipped by the Dutch East India Company (Figure 59). When comparing the hand-drawn

design to the imagery on the porcelain, it is clear that the Jingdezhen craftsmen were

skilled in mimicry. The potter was able to develop a clear understanding of the imagery

and recreate it on en masse in an assortment of variations. 203 Pronk was a known artist

who was able to establish several patterns that thrived in the Chinese porcelain export

market, emphasizing a connection between painted imagery and the painting done on

porcelain. It is clear that in these early stages of collecting porcelain, individuals were

most interested in these export wares that were of very little value to a Chinese collector.

The wares were made specifically for the Western market and perhaps only had true

value in that geographic location.

3.4 Considering Later Collecting in the East and West

While British culture was being shaped by Chinese porcelain, within China, the

influence of the West was becoming more apparent. As global communications between

countries improved, more direct interaction occurred between these two cultures. In the

relationship between imperial China and the British monarchy, clear interactions

occurred in which ideas were shared and diplomatic gifts were exchanged. The

underlying motive for these communications was Britain’s desire for China to reduce its

regulations on trading ports. Surviving letters between the Qianlong Emperor (1711–

1799) and King George III (1738–1820) preserve numerous exchanges discussing not

only trade but also the exchange of diplomatic gifts. George III attempted to negotiate

203 Leidy, How to Read Chinese Ceramics, 128.

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