Page 203 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

This era initiated several new innovations within the kilns at Jingdezhen. For the

first time, the painters associated with each piece of porcelain gained more prominence.

Wares dating to this era often include a factory mark or even an artist’s signature,

whereas earlier imperial wares consistently required artistic anonymity. This change

within porcelain production highlights the modernization that occurred in the art form.

For the first time, artists were treated like artists rather than craftsmen that mass-produced

on a grand scale. This change suggests that the emergence of artists within the porcelain

process would elevate the level of artistry on each vessel. Just as painting saw the

emergence of schools of thought, a similar revolution occurred in the porcelain industry.

In 1928, groups like the Full Moon Society (Yueyuan hui 月圓徽) operating in Zhushan

began to form. The group later became more commonly known as the Eight Friends of

Zhushan (Zhushan ba you 珠山八友). 264 While many scholars have found that these

groups were only united by their monikers rather than a shared aesthetic, this study

argues that these schools of thought cultivated distinct aesthetics that united ceramic

artists. This transition became visible in the imagery achieved during the early republic.

While wares were different due to the unique artist behind each one, these wares

appropriated the intricate painterly brushstrokes that were popular during Cixi’s reign and

applied them to traditional Chinese concepts, achieving a conservative style that was not

as prevalent in prior years.

One area of strength within the Sir Percival David collection is a group of

porcelain wares depicting a falangcai style. Falangcai refers to “foreign colors,”

denoting the influence of European colors on porcelain enamel palettes. Enamels can be

264 Blakey, “Bringing China to Stoke-on-Trent,” 36.
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