Sold Ceramics
Sold Famille Rose wares 1725-1800
Western Shapes
Page 1
There was great demand for Chinese porcelain in Europe at the end of the 17th century. This led to the production of a variety of shapes and decorations while the competition between private merchants also contributed to a very varied supply. Besides porcelain decorated in underglaze blue, famille verte and Chinese Imari, many other types emerged, decorated with overglaze enamels that were sometimes combined with underglaze blue. The most important development, however, was the use of a pink-red enamel around 1725. Porcelain decorated with this enamel is called famille rose. Within a very short time this type supplanted famille verte and became the popular choice for all kinds of export porcelain. Mixing the rose with white enamel created shades of colour that suggested depth and volume. Famille rose knows a great variety in quality and decorations. The name was invented in the 19th century; before that it was simply called 'enameled'. Rose enamel was first developed in the Imperial workshops in Beijing and applied on enameled copper and bronze objects. Western chemical knowledge introduced by the Jesuits at the court around 1700 probably played a role. Since c.1725 it also was used on porcelain in Jingdezhen. Initially, the colour had a lilac shade but became a proper pink after c.1730. It was applied rather thickly and, unlike the very thin iron-red, can easily be felt on top of the glaze. Rose was applied on all types of export porcelain and there are countless combinations with other enamels.
Sold Ceramics - Sold Famille Rose wares 1725-1800 - Western Shapes - Page 1
Object 2012206
Chamber pot
China
1740-1750
Height 136 mm (5.35 inch), diameter of rim 196 mm (7.72 inch), diameter of footring 132 mm (5.20 inch), weight 1,448 grams (51.08 ounce (oz.))
Large globular chamber pot on footring with splayed overturned rim. C-shaped handle with thumb-rest. Polychrome decorated in iron-red, green, blue, black, pink and gold overglaze enamels, with three groups of various flowering plants, Chinese cabbage and fruit. Round the neck a diaper-pattern border and on the rim four reserves filled with flowering plants and Chinese cabbage alternating with flowering plants and fruit on a diaper pattern ground. On the handle a floret between scrolls.
The VOC started to order Chinese porcelain in European shapes as early as 1634. Such pieces may justly be called Chine de commande, as they were ordered specially by Western clients. The term also applies to porcelain with Western decorations. In the late 17th and the 18th century demand for Western shapes rapidly increased and Europeans became such important clients that several kilns in Jingdezhen came to specialise in 'Western' wares, probably making nothing else. Besides dinner services and tea, coffee and chocolate sets other utilitarian or luxury items were also ordered after Western models. These included cylindrical beer mugs, barbers' bowls, butter tubs, chamber pots, cream dishes, cuspidors and many other objects, their shapes, changing in accordance with fashions in Europe. (Jörg & Van Campen 1997, pp.252-253)
For an identically shaped chamber pot, please see:
Condition: A firing flaw to the footring and a chip to the rim.
References:
Jörg & Van Campen 1997, pp.252-253
Price: Sold.
Sold Ceramics - Sold Famille Rose wares 1725-1800 - Western Shapes - Page 1
Object 2010521
Salt
China
1740-1760
Height 32 mm (1.26 inch), dimensions 75 mm (2.95 inch) x 62 mm (2.44 inch)
Salt of oblong octagonal shape, on an open base, the inside glazed. The rectangular top with a flat underglaze brown-edged indented rim (jia mangkou) rim has a rectangular indention in the centre. Decorated in various famille rose enamels with gold, iron-red and gold. On the central indention a garden scene with flowering plants growing from taihu (garden) rocks and a pine tree with flowering lotus growing near a fence. On the flat rectangular top a spearhead border and on the sides various flower sprays.,
Modelled after a European pewter or earthenware salt, the material and the Chinese style decoration made this salt an exotic object that was prominently placed on a richly laid table. With many Christian connotations, salt was an important seasoning at dinner before the 19th century and salts were larger and more elaborate than they are today.
The spearhead border shape resembling a spearhead, are in fact stylised ruyi motifs
Condition: A tiny fleabite to the rim, a shallow chip and a short hairline to the base.
References:
Jacquemart & Le Blant 1862, pp. 77-105
Price: Sold.
Sold Ceramics - Sold Famille Rose wares 1725-1800 - Western Shapes - Page 1
Object 2010128
Covered jar
China
1760-1770
Height with cover 124 mm (4.88 inch), diameter of rim (ex handles) 103 mm (4.05 inch), diameter of footring 62 mm (2.44 inch)
A cylindrical (sugar-candy) jar on footring with a domed cover with finial, applied with two lobbed handles. Decorated in various famille rose enamels, iron-red and gold with various flower and fruit sprays. The cover is decorated en suite.
Such covered jars may have been used to keep lumps of sugar-candy which were served when drinking tea.
Condition: On the finial a glaze rough spot, to rim of the cover two popped bubbles of glaze (caused during the firing process) and to the underside of the rim of the cover a small frit, to the rim of the box a shallow frit and on both handles a chip,
References:
Jacquemart & Le Blant 1862, pp. 77-105
Price: Sold.
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