Jakabffy Imre szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 13. (Budapest, 1971)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM - MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Cseh, Éva: K'ang-hsi and Other Blue and White Porcelains from the 18th Century

Fig, -la

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h Ginger jar, K'ang-hsi period "\\ liai is so highly appreciated in K'ang-hsi's blue and whites?" - writes T'ao Ya

5 - "The beauty of colour!" Aboul the blue and whites of ibis period. Honey says: "The colour used was of rare quality, obtained apparently from Chinese source. It is a clear shining "sapphire" blue with no trace of the former purple or violet tinge, • wen on the commoner wares, and an admirably harmony with the milk while or faintly greenish glaze"/' The same refinement is to be said about the material itself: "The while material was refined on largely rid of its tendency to discolour at the fool."

7 Such degree of fineness, obviously concerns porcelains made for the court. Technical advancement and high esteem for the old Ming porcelains resulted in skilful imitations of old blue and whites, mostly flsuan-te and Cheng-hua pieces. Even during the era of K'ang-hsi, certain Ming blue and whiles were imitated, but here, one can say I bey were rather made according to the style of the period, they intended to imitate, whereas during the epoch of Yung-cheng and Ch'icn-lung, efforts were made to produce imitations as close as possible to the original. This technical advancement enabled articles made from various materials lo be imitated, apart from the imitation of the old ones. To comply with the orders coming from ihe court, unusual skill was needed, experiments with new European patterns went on. and articles never seen before were produced. This stage was the beginning of the decline as well. The porcelains to be discussed are marked, their majority wearing ihe nien ban ol the ruling period of the Emperor, on two pieces a "symbol" mark. — one single piece Ming nien ban can be found. To a certain degree, the determination of the period is eased by the fact that a relatively close epoch is in question and for the identification, quite a large quantity of material is at hand. During this period. Europe was floaded with Chinese porcelain wares. Crom this point. European collections, made at tin

1 end of the I7lh. — and the beginning of the 18th century, due to their closed, dated mil tire. — are of great value, ibey are a great asset to researchers. (E.g. collection of August ihe Slron in Dresden). ' T'ao Ya, translated by G. R. Saver, London, 1959, point 50. llonev. The Ceramic Art of China and other Countries of the Far East, London, p. 147. 7 Same': p. 130.