Page 166 - The colours of each piece: production and consumption of Chinese enamelled porcelain, c.1728-c.1780

CHAPTER 3 Enamelled Porcelain Consumption in Eighteenth-century China

3.7. Conclusion

The chapter has shown the domestic consumption of enamelled porcelain during the

eighteenth century. Sections 2, 3, and 4 of this chapter have examined studies on

porcelain consumption in the domestic market. These sections together have argued

that identifying enamelled porcelain either as ‘imperial’ or ‘export’ items is

problematic. Section 5 has shown a brief history of porcelain consumption prior to the

eighteenth century. Section 6 has demonstrated the distinctive values of enamelled

porcelain. The skilful craftsmanship, the colours and association with ‘foreign’ were

attractive to Chinese contemporary consumers. Based on available sources, section 7

has argued that enamelled porcelain was circulated widely in China’s domestic market.

Section 8 has provided a general trade pattern in Jingdezhen during the eighteenth

century. Overall, by drawing on textual records and visual presentations, this chapter

provided a history of enamelled porcelain consumption in domestic eighteenth-

century China. It sheds light on our understanding of how porcelain was actually

traded within Qing Empire and, more importantly, seeks to prove that enamelled

porcelain was not only consumed by the imperial court or the export market, but it

found its way onto the domestic market.

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