Page 167 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

artists to create gradient shades with their enamel application. The large motif of a

blooming peach branch emphasizes vivid peach tones on the fruit itself while also

emphasizing the ability to shade in the white flowers and green leaves. While the color

palette identifies the vase as being influenced by the West, the iconography associated

with peaches holds strong connections to China. The peach is a symbol of long life often

associated with the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu 西王母), who was said to rule

over paradise. According to legend, the Queen Mother’s peach tree bloomed for 1,000

years, making the peach itself not only an icon of long life but even a representation of

immortality. The desire for the famille rose decorated porcelain resulted in such demand

that the imperial workshop ordered blank porcelain directly from Jingdezhen and, upon

its arrival, it was painted within the court studio. 210 The famille rose palette became

th
th
popular with both the Manchu court and the export market. By the 18 and 19
centuries, porcelain in the famille rose style became a global commodity reaching the

same popularity as earlier blue-and-white porcelain styles.

3.5 Emperor Qianlong: Premier Patron and Collector

It is generally accepted across the art historical community that the Chinese

emperors within the Forbidden City obtained the premier Chinese collection of porcelain.

The majority of the imperial collection was amassed during the Qing dynasty, primarily

as a result of the procurements of the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1736–1796). This collection

was undoubtedly the standard by which many individuals in China judged their personal

210 Scholars have suggested that Jesuits may have had a great deal of influence or even provided
instruction within this imperial studio.

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