Page 166 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

and flat imagery, exemplifying the Western painting techniques entering China. 207 The

influx of new ideas reached its height during the reign of three specific emperors:

Kangxi (1662–1722), Yongzheng (1723–1735), and Qianlong (1736–1795). 208 The

technological progression of clay refinement along with developments in kilns resulted in

the highest quality porcelain to showcase these new techniques. Each of these emperors

embraced the recently introduced Western designs, and as a direct result this era is

referred to as the Golden Age of porcelain. The Golden Age emperors were also the

main patrons behind porcelain entering the imperial collection.

The most prominent characteristic associated with porcelain from the Golden Age

is the use of famille colors. 209 In 1720, a workshop was set up within the Forbidden City

to paint porcelain in a new color palette. The discovery of a crimson-pink enamel

derived from gold along with an opaque white enamel facilitated a new range of soft

shades of color referred to as famille rose. The ability to capture these shades on

porcelain dramatically changed the way enamels were applied. Artists now had the

ability to create any color shade within their painted porcelain and could therefore create

a variety of new designs on porcelain by incorporating the newly introduced colors. One

example of this style is a vase dating to approximately 1736–1795 (Figure 61). The vase

exemplifies the rosy color palette associated with famille rose along with the potential for

207 The painting technique exhibited on the dish suggests that the enamel application was
completed by a skilled artist in an imperial workshop in Beijing.
208 The Kangxi emperor was very active in the arts and was known as an impressive calligrapher.
He was responsible for rebuilding the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen after conquest destroyed the
site. Along with this rebuilding project, he established fourteen workshops in the Forbidden City
and work to develop Chinese enamels to rival the newly introduced European colors. The legacy
of Kangxi’s patronage would be carried on by the Yongzheng emperor who would continue to
promote the development of Chinese enamels. Both Kangxi and Yongzheng were known to
collect for the imperial collection; however, neither procured as large a collection as Qianlong.
209 The phrase famille colors refers to three styles: famille verte, famille noir, and famille rose.

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