Page 242 - The colours of each piece: production and consumption of Chinese enamelled porcelain, c.1728-c.1780

CHAPTER 6 A New Context of Porcelain Trade 1760-1770

would need at least 1300 degree of kiln temperature. It was only the potters at

Jingdezhen who were capable of producing blue and white in the large dragon kiln.

However, for the production of enamelled wares, Canton did have advantages.

Since it was one of the main centres of enamelled copperwares in contemporary

57
time, it is reasonable to assume that local craftsmen who were copper wares
producers and painters subsequently experimented with painting enamel on porcelain

and fired in a muffle kiln, which they used to fire copperware in the 1750s.

Due to the lack of materials, it is impossible to estimate how many workshops

were established in Canton during the second half of the eighteenth century. However,

the fragmented evidence from archival records in the later period of the 1770s

suggests that porcelain dealers were key players in setting up the manufacture. As the

1772 VOC supercargo mentioned, ‘completely white pieces are in order to be painted

58
here (Canton)’. In year 1778, the English supercargo reported to the EEIC’s court

directors:

The China ware merchant with whom we have contracted for the

investment of next year acquainted us that he had received letters from the

place where it was manufactured that it would not be possible to glaze the

tops of the milk pots and sugar basins, nor to have large mugs, bowls and

fruit dishes ribbed; moreover, they apprehend it will be very difficult to

make the patty pans exactly according to the pattern sent out, as we are

convinced that no persons is more capable and that he will do his utmost

to complete his contract to our satisfaction. We have no thought of

57 Shi Jingfei, Riyue guanghua: Qinggong huaflang [Radiant Luminance: The Painted
Enamelware of the Qing Imperial Court], (Taipei: National Palace Museum, 2012), pp.177-179.
58 Jörg, Porcelain and the Dutch Trade, p.126.
226