CLEIJ
ORIENTAL ART
CLEIJ
ORIENTAL ART
Blue and White
During the 18th century the European East India Companies brought substantial amounts of valuable blue and white porcelain back from China. This export porcelain can be divided into three groups based on the three most important Chinese emperors reigning during this period. The earliest 18th century wares date from the reign of Kangxi (1662-1722). These wares often have decorations with flowers or figures in the Chinese taste. This was also the period that porcelain sometimes was attractively moulded and the use of marks was not uncommon. Due to the special character of these Kangxi blue and white wares, they are described in a separate section. During the short reign of Yongzheng (1723-1735), the blue and white export porcelain can be characterized by its very finely penciled decorations. During this period the porcelain is of superb quality and beauty. Decorations are often inspired by the earlier Kangxi wares and remain mostly in the Chinese taste. Most blue and white porcelain from the 18th century is produced during the reign of Qianlong (1736-1795). During his reign it became more common practice to decorate the blue and white export porcelain with European patterns. This is also the era that large dinner and tea services were produced on order for the European wealthy merchants and nobility. Wares from this period are very decorative due to the large variety in patterns available. Please click on the thumbnail for additional pictures and information about an item.
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