Page 31 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

PREFACE

China’s last dynasty, the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), was characterized by major

innovations in art. Influences traveled to the Qing court from Europe, with Jesuits

notably gaining favor at the imperial court and therefore impacting painting styles along

with a successful continuing porcelain trade industry between China and the Western

1
world. Styles associated with painting were appropriated for porcelain, cultivating new

aesthetics. Imperial patrons cultivated the decorative imagery found on porcelain, giving

each ruler distinctive wares. While numerous studies have evaluated the art produced

during the Qing, the focus has primarily remained on the works patronized by Kangxi 康

熙(1662–1722), Yongzheng 雍正(1723–1735), and Qianlong 乾隆(1736–1795). Few

scholars have evaluated the art of the late Qing.

During the late Qing, one imperial patron emerged at the forefront of porcelain

design. The Empress Dowager Cixi ruled China from 1861 until her death in 1908.

Utilizing the power of art to strengthen her imperial power, Cixi cultivated herself in the

manner of a traditional Chinese scholar. Surviving examples of her paintings exist in

numerous museum collections, allowing insight into the styles she personally

championed. While scholars have analyzed the merits of Cixi’s paintings, her porcelain

remains widely disregarded. During the long duration of the Empress Dowager’s reign,

she commissioned copious porcelain pieces. Despite scholars citing the poor quality and

lack of artistic integrity of the porcelain patronized by Cixi, this study disagrees. Within

her commissions, certain porcelain patterns known as dayazhai 大雅齋(Studio of great

1 Western influence was a major factor during the reigns of Kangxi (1662-1722), Yongzheng
(1723-1735) and Qianlong (1736-1795), when scholars claim that the porcelain industry reached
its peak.
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