Page 31 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

INTRODUCTION. 3

A at the table will show that the state
glance chronological
of affairs existing prior to the middle of the seventeenth century
in Europe and the East would make the importation of china-
ware in any large quantities into Europe a matter of impossi-
The ended to
bility. Ming dynasty previous 1644, so that
before like a trade of dimensions had
anything regular any
been established with China, the was in
Tsing dynasty power,
and it was too late to obtain Ming pieces, except second-hand,
when owners with their household
private parted possessions.
We must also remember that a amount of
large Ming porcelain
must have been destroyed with other property during the
disturbed times at the end of the
Ming dynasty.
With the accession of the Tsing dynasty in 1644, we
arrive at the half-way house in the history of Chinese porcelain,
as known to us, although as far as the china we possess is
concerned, it may probably be almost the starting-point.
the second for
Kang-he, emperor, reigned sixty-one years
(1661-1722). He seems to have been a very able man, fond of
art and science, willing moreover to avail himself of the assist-
ance of the Jesuit missionaries ; and it was probably their aid that
as Sir A. W. Franks " to in the
led, says, many improvements
porcelain manufacture, and to the introduction of several new
colours." It is said that two Jesuit brothers were at this
lay
time employed at the royal factories of King-te-chin. The
fourth emperor, Keen-lung, reigned for sixty years (1736-
and a of fine china was made this
1795), large quantity during
"
period, exhibiting rich and minute decoration." The fifth
emperor, Kea-king, reigned from 1786 to 1821, and although,
as a rule, the production of this and the later reigns show
diminished excellence, yet they were still of turning out
capable
line pieces, as proved by those taken from the Summer Palace.
When porcelain was first introduced into Europe, the only
thing they could compare it to was the polished surface of the
cowrie shell, or porcellaiia, so called from its curved upper
surface to resemble the rounded back of a
being supposed
or little hence the name " This
2Jorcella, hog, porcelain." may
account for china-ware sometimes of in Scotland
being spoken
"
as
pigs."
According to Pere d'Entrecolles, porcelain was made of
kaolin and — the former
pe-tun-tse being decomposed felspar