Page 92 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

similar to that of the earlier dayazhai patterns. For example, the patterns seen on the

Tongzhi wedding porcelain are traditionally Chinese in style, color, and the iconography

of the motifs. The majority of these wares are on a yellow ground, which was an

imperial color reserved solely for use by the emperor. Drawings of one of these vessels

show a spontaneous motif with birds and flowers scattered throughout the ground color.

One such bowl maintains a bright yellow ground that supports colorful flying butterflies

(Figure 22). The butterflies frame the character shuangxi 雙喜, providing a wish of

double happiness that is a fitting sentiment for wedding porcelain. The manner of the

painting appears finely detailed and almost perfect despite the sense of spontaneity

created by the butterflies. The artisan utilized almost all of the available space on this

vessel, resulting in a filled design rather than a design emphasizing voids. Although the

Tongzhi wedding porcelain is extremely finely painted as evident from the prior example,

at times the porcelain appears rather sloppily potted with a thicker body and areas that

reveal visible imperfections from the firing process. This poor construction may indicate

that potters from an earlier period were still working at the kilns and were not

knowledgeable in modernized pottery construction techniques. Potters working in the

kilns may have served previous emperors. It is possible that portions of the workforce

remained between reigns. This could explain the ability of the kiln workers to cultivate

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beautifully intricate painted techniques on each vessel.
Yet another example from the Tongzhi wedding commission resides at the Palace

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Museum (Figure 23). The porcelain plate is completed in a famille rose palette and

94 It is generally suggested that potters remained from the earlier reign of Emperor Daoguang
(1821-1850).
95 Chen Shen and Wen-chien Cheng, “Making ‘The Forbidden City’: An Introduction to the
Exhibition,” 71.
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