Page 291 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

PORCELAIN DECORATED

themselves underwent an alteration. It is a notable

fact that all the principal colours of the " Famille
" the ruby or
Rose the lemon yellow,
porcelains,

crimson, the pink, or rose du Barry, and the brilliant

black differing essentially from the dull greenish

black of the "Famille Verte" wares are spoken of
in the Tao-lu as " European colours." In fact, the

distinct change of genre that occurred at the close

of the Kang-hsi era, was largely due either to Euro-

pean inspiration or to some newly formed conception

of European taste. Certainly the keramic decoration

of the West two centuries ago had very few features

in common with the contemporaneous keramic dec-

oration of China. But the difference between the

two was much less marked after the " Famille "
Rose

type made its appearance. The broken colours and

half-tints of the latter had a marked affinity with

European style, though the decorative designs chiefly

employed might easily be mistaken for Japanese.

Moreover, much direct copying of European models

and designs took place at the request of foreign

traders. Mr. A. W. Franks, of the British Museum,

has studied this branch of the subject with his

wonted care. In the fine collection presented by
him to the nation, numerous specimens of Chinese and

Japanese wares are included, betraying unmistakable
evidence of foreign influence. His remarks on the
subject are well worth quoting:

The earliest specimens modified to modern taste would

naturally be anything made in China for Japan, or in Japan

for China next, the wares furnished to other Asiatic nations
;

or to Egypt, and lastly those made for Europe.

It would appear from Pere d'Entrecolles and other sources

that, in 1712, Japan was a purchaser of porcelain in China,