Page 95 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

the vessels’ forms: the painting on the Guangxu porcelain is clearly of a lower quality

than the prior Tongzhi porcelain, with lines appearing less painterly and showing less

technical skill in achieving a convincing design. This speaks to the level of mechanical

industrialization that was occurring, which perhaps made it rather superfluous to maintain

high skill levels in painting at the kilns. Another factor that has yet to be considered in

regard to the lower standard of porcelain during the production of the Guangxu wedding

porcelain is the production of wares purely for diplomatic purposes. Documentation

reveals that Cixi ordered nearly 1,414 cups, dishes, vases, and plates to be used as

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diplomatic gifts in 1891 to honor the Guangxu Emperor’s birthday. While the standards
for imperial porcelain were exceptionally high, the criteria for exports and diplomatic

gifts were not as rigid. As an involved patron, Cixi could have commissioned these

wares to be used as gifts rather than ordering them to meet imperial regulations.

After viewing both wedding sets, it is evident that the porcelain commissioned for

the Guangxu wedding has slightly differing patterns than the Tongzhi porcelain.

However, the symbolism of happiness, love, and a long life within the motifs remains

consistent, emphasizing the same patronage and influence of Cixi behind both sets.

Despite many similarities between the two sets of wedding porcelain, there are also stark

contrasts between them. One major contrast to the earlier Tongzhi wedding porcelain is

the manner in which the motifs have been painted. The Guangxu wedding porcelain

appears heavily structured, lacking the freedom of the designs found on the Tongzhi

porcelain. It seems that even though Cixi was the patron for both wedding sets, they

were individualized, and based on the images this study has analyzed, it is possible that

99 Warner, Dragon Empress: The Life and Times of Tz’u-Hsi Empress Dowager of China 1835-
1908, 172.
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