Page 239 - Chinese and japanese porcelain silk and lacquer Canepa
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III, which in all probability was of similar shape to that recovered from the Nuestra
Señora de la Limpia y Pura Concepción (1641) (Fig. 3.1.2.22), and thus may have been
imported into Mexico City by that time. The 1645 inventory of Lope de Osorio
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listing ‘Ten little lions’ mentioned earlier suggests the presence of such Blanc de chine
Buddhist Lions in Mexico City by the early to mid 1640s.
In Mexico City, further archaeological finds of Kraak and Zhangzhou porcelain
were made at the former Convent of Santa Paula, better known by its later name
San Jerónimo, of the Hieronymite order. The Kraak shards, dating to the Wanli/
669
Tianqi period, formed part of a few plates and dishes with panelled borders of rather
low quality (Fig. 3.3.1.1.17), of plates with continuous naturalistic borders (Fig.
3.3.1.1.18), of saucer dishes with lotus-petal borders outlined in blue and of small
bowls or klapmutsen decorated with monster masks. Three shards of Zhangzhou
670
plates show a similar central phoenix and scale diaper border to those excavated at the
Moneda Street site (Fig. 3.3.1.1.19) and large fragments of two saucer dishes show an
overall decoration of sketchily painted dragons (Fig. 3.3.1.1.20), which relates to finds
made at the Xuizhuan kiln ste in Zhaoan county (Appendix 2).
671
Textual sources and material evidence indicate that a small quantity of the porcelain
imported into Acapulco was subsequently distributed to the frontier provinces of New
Spain. In the coastal settlement of Colima, for instance, references to porcelain are
668 Published in Canepa and Terreros Espinosa, 2014, found in judicial documents and wills made by both female and male residents as early
p. 4, fig. 8.
669 This convent was founded in 1585 by Isabel de as 1580. A judicial document of that year, listing the belongings brought from Manila
Barrios (1522–1613), daughter of conquistador by the deceased sailor Manuel Pérez, mentions ‘2 large porcelains from China’ and
Andrés de Barrios and Maria Suarez de Avila, and
niece of the conquistador Hernan Cortés (1485– ‘2 small porcelains from China’, besides silk clothing and furnishings from China, as
1547), who led the expedition that captured the city
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of Tenochtitlan – the capital of the Aztec Empire – discussed in Chapter II. A will made by Isabel de Monjaraz in 1589, lists ‘1 medium
and brought a large part of the territory of present- porcelain from China’ and ‘1 small porcelain from China’. Another made by the
673
day Mexico under Spanish rule. San Jerónimo was
exclusively for Spanish and Criolla (Spanish women landowner Andrés García in 1616 lists ‘1 large porcelain from China’ and ‘1 large plate
born in the New World) nuns. Patricia Fournier
García, Evidencias Arqueológicas de la importación [of porcelain] from China’, as well as a few ecclesiastical vestments and furnishings
de cerámica en México, con base en los materiales made of damask and brocade from China. Juana Quintero made a will in 1622,
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del ex-Convento de San Jerónimo, no. 213, INAH,
1990, pp. 18–20. I am grateful to Patricia Fournier which included ‘2 porcelains from China’ and ‘2 medium plates [of porcelain] from
García, Escuela Nacional de Arqueología e Historia,
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Mexico, for granting me permission to include China’. Porcelain was also given as dowry, as evidenced by the ‘1 large porcelain
images of the excavated porcelain in this doctoral from China’ listed in a dowry letter made by Martín de Segura in 1614. The high
676
dissertation.
670 Published in Ibid., pp. 34–35, figs. 3–6; p. 37, fig. 8c esteem that the residents of Colima had for porcelain was shown in 1625, when Juan
and d; and p. 38, fig. 10.
671 Published in Fujian Provincial Museum, 1997, pl. 39, de Balmaceda purchased ‘2 plates [of porcelain] from China (broken)’ for which he
fig. 1; and Canepa, 2010, p. 62, fig. 10. paid 1 peso at the pubic auction of the belongings of Gaspar Pagés de Moncada,
672 The original texts in Spanish read: ‘2 porcelanas
grandes de la China’ and ‘2 porcelanas pequeñas already discussed in Chapter II. Balmaceda wanted so badly to own porcelain that
677
de la China’. AHMC, box A-10, exp. 20. Cited in
Machuca, 2012, p. 115. he did not mind the poor condition of these pieces.
673 The original texts in Spanish read: ‘1 porcelana Material evidence indicates that a small quantity of Jingdezhen and Zhangzhou
mediana de la China’ and ‘1 porcelana chica de la
Fig. 3.3.1.1.15 Fragment of a Zhangzhou China’. José Miguel Romero de Solís, Conquistas
blue-and-white dish excavated at Donceles e instituciones de gobierno en Colima de la Nueva porcelain imported into Acapulco was subsequently distributed to the isolated frontier
Street site, Zócalo area, Mexico City Opposite page España (1523–1600), Colima y Zamora, 2007, p. 148. province of Florida (present-day United States), prized by the Spaniards for its strategic
Zhangzhou kilns, Fujian province Fig. 3.3.1.1.17 Shards of Kraak plates Fig. 3.3.1.1.19 Shards of Zhangzhou Cited in Machuca, 2012, p. 117. location to the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic shipping routes. Four
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Ming dynasty, Wanli/Tianqi reign (1573–1627) excavated at the former Convent of Santa blue-and-white plates excavated at the 674 The original texts in Spanish read: ‘1 porcelana
© Eladio Terreros, Museo del Templo Paula, Mexico City former Convent of Santa Paula, Mexico City grande de China’, ‘1 plato grande de China’, ‘casulla shards of blue-and-white porcelain, including one that probably formed part of a finely
Mayor (INAH) Jingdezhen kilns, Jiangxi province Zhangzhou kilns, Fujian province vieja de damasco de China’, and ‘frontal con su potted Kraak bowl, were excavated from the remains of the Spanish settlement of St.
frontalero de brocadillo de China’. Archivo Histórico
Ming dynasty, Wanli/Tianqi reign (1573–1627) Ming dynasty, Wanli/Tianqi reign (1573–1627) del Estado de Colima (hereafter cited as AHEC),
Fig. 3.3.1.1.16 Shard of a Zhangzhou dish with © Patricia Fournier García © Patricia Fournier García Fondo Virreinal (hereafter cited as FV), box 10, fol. Augustine in Florida. Saint Augustine, founded in 1565 to prevent French colonizing
overglaze enamel decoration excavated at 12, exp. 1628. Cited in Machuca, 2012, p. 120. efforts in the region, served as the Spanish military and religious headquarters until the
Justo Sierra Street site, Zócalo area, Fig. 3.3.1.1.18 Shards of Kraak plates Fig. 3.3.1.1.20 Fragment of a Zhangzhou 675 The original texts in Spanish read: ‘2 porcelanas de
679
Mexico City excavated at the former Convent of Santa blue-and-white saucer dish excavated at the China’ and ‘2 platos medianos de China’. AHEC, FV, end of the colonial period in 1821. The porcelain is believed to have reached Florida
Zhangzhou kilns, Fujian province Paula, Mexico City former Convent of Santa Paula, Mexico City box 11, fol. 5, exp. 1906. Cited in Machuca, 2012, via the Manila Galleon trade to Acapulco in about 1576–1578.
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p. 123.
Ming dynasty, Wanli/Tianqi reign (1573–1627) Jingdezhen kilns, Jiangxi province Zhangzhou kilns, Fujian province 676 The original text in Spanish reads: ‘1 porcelana A total of 747 shards of blue-and-white porcelain dating to the sixteenth century
© Eladio Terreros, Museo del Templo Ming dynasty, Wanli/Tianqi reign (1573–1627) Ming dynasty, Wanli/Tianqi reign (1573–1627) grande de China’. AHEC, FV, box 9, fol. 5, exp. 1150.
Mayor (INAH) © Patricia Fournier García © Patricia Fournier García Cited in Machuca, 2012, p. 119. have been excavated from the remains of the town of Santa Elena in what is today
238 Trade in Chinese Porcelain 239
