Page 131 - China, 5000 years : innovation and transformation in the arts

Fig. 4. "Chicken" cup. Ming dynasty, Chenghua mark
and period (1465-1487). Porcelain with Doncai

decoration, Jingdezhen kilns; diam. 8.2 an.

degree, by the ruling Mongols. But since no other *3 'J
kiln could equal the striking visual appeal of these
porcelains, Jingdezhen soon eclipsed all other

kiln centers.

At first, however, the native Chinese Ming court,
still influenced by Song aesthetics, preferred the
more sober monochrome porcelains from

Jingdezhen (cats. 140, 141). Blue-and-white found

favor only gradually. The large and impressive blue-
and-white porcelains made during theYongle
period (1403-1424) (cats. 142, 143) still went mainly

abroad. Small, delicately potted and painted pieces
such as the stem bowl from the Xuande reign

(1426-1435) (cat. 144) may have been among the

first blue-and-white porcelains to appeal at the
Chinese court, about one hundred years after the
ware was first made.

Once the court had "discovered" blue-and-white Fig. 5. Vase with design ofgolden pheasants and
porcelain, it instantly monopolized the entire calligraphy. Qing dynasty. Qianlong mark and period
output of the Jingdezhen kilns. At the same time, (1736-1795). Porcelain from Jingdezhen kilns, enamel
virtually everything made for the imperial painting by imperial workshops in Forbidden ( ~ny.
Beijing; h. 20. J cm. Private collection.
—household was inscribed with a reign mark that
flawless. Uniformity was more appreciated than
is, the auspiciously worded designation of the
current emperor's reign period. To begin with, the individuality.
reign mark truly indicated ,1 ware made exclusively
for court use; in later periods such marks were also Although the porcelains of the Ming and Qing
inscribed on nonimperial porcelains and earlier
reign marks were copied on later pieces. The palace (1644-iyn) are rarely unique, their painted
required large numbers of identical objects. decoration remained spirited. I'.imting 111 overglaze
Stringent quality controls assured that shapes and
patterns were precise and materials absolutely

CERAMICS IN CHINA: MAKING TREASURES FROM EARTH 129