Chinese Porcelains

Chinese porcelains of Dresden Collection

Note below pictures are descriptions from the Dresden Museum labels.

DRC9, DRC10, DRC11: Chinese symbols. Covered jar. China, Kangxi era (1662-1722). around 1720. This covered jar, painted in the famille verte colour palette, has a complex decorative theme conveying wishes for long life, happiness and high social status. The individual motifs are enclosed within cartouches in the shape of leaves, fruits or fans. The classical image for long life is the evergreen pine tree with the crane as the mountain of the immortals. Lingzhi, the fungus of immortality, is growing at the foot of the tree. Flowers grow out of a Taihu stone, named after a rock with bizarre hole created by the currents of Lake Taihu in East China. These ornamental rocks symbolize the creative energy of nature. A cartouche in the shape of a pomegranate, blesseda legendary bird associated with good omens. The with many seeds and symbol for numerous progeny, is filled with baigu, the “hundred antiquities”. These are auspicious objects such as the tripod and vases with peacock feathers or corals that augur a rich and cultured lifestyle appropriate to the scholar official. In one of the cartouches a scholar is shown in a long gown, in the company of a young servant. The motif of the river landscape with a small pavilion illustrates the scholar’s dream of a life close to nature. A beautiful lady with a little boy symbolizes the wish for numerous male offsprings. As for mythical creatures, we can see a phoenix, fenghuang in Chinese, A legendary bird associated with good omen. The qilin is a dee-like mythical beast with horns; here it appears to be breathing fire. DRC12: Three vases. China, Kangxi era (1662-1722), around 1710. Large vases in the shape of a double-gord with three bulges are quite rare unlike the simple gourd form bottle gourds are thought to bring happiness in China. These vases are decorated with peonies, hibiscus and irises, the middle bulge with bouquets of chrysanthemums and the upper one with hanging twigs of cherry blossoms. The dominant colour scheme of cobalt blue, iron red and gold and the decorative flower ornaments resemble Japanese Imari decoration.

DRC13, DRC14: Seven-piece garniture. China, Kangxi era (1662-1722), 1700-1720. This ensemble was sued for the furnishing of the Japanese Palace. Presumably because of the similarity to the blue, red and gold colour combination of Japanese Imari porcelain, the garniture was included among the Japanese porcelain in the inventory of 1721. Peonies, magnolias and wild apple blossoms in China convey a promise of happiness as a kind of rebus. One of the names of the tree-peony is fugui hua (flower of wealth and high rank). The white magnolia, yulan and the wild apple, haitang, suggests an association with the compound yutang fugui which phonetically identical with the meaning “wealth and high rank in the jade hall”. DRC15: China, Jingdezhen, Kangxi, early 18th c. DRC16: Two cachepots. China, Kangxi era (1662-1722), 1700-1720. The unusual decoration in relief possibly derives from Japanese models. Similarly applied flower and leaf motifs are to be found on Japanese porcelain in the Imari style. Pots of this kind with a hole in the bottom were used in China cachepots in the Thgarden. In Dresden cachepots were used for orange trees, of which Augustus the Strong was particularly fond. In the inventory of 1721, they are classified as “2stk. Orangen Dopffe mit erhabenen ind. Thieren, Vogeln and Blumen gemah gemahlet, mit uberschlagenen gerippte und vergoldeten Rander…(“2 orange pots painted with raised Indian animals, birds and flower. with folded, ribbed and golden edges.).”

DRC25-DRC28; The Blue and White Porcelain Cabinet. The collection of Oriental Porcelain in Dresden owes its existence the possession of one ruler: August the Strong, elector of Saxony and king of Poland (1670-1733). In 1717 August bought the Hollandishes Palis, the Dutch Palace, later called the Japaniches Palais, Japanese Palace on the river Elbe. In this palace, he planned to present his magnificent collection of Chinese and Japanese porcelain and porcelain of the royal porcelain manufactory at Meissen, founded in 1710. A description of the palace which was found in the first inventory of the year 1721, provides an insight into the richness and abundance of its furnishings. The entire building was decorated in the so-called Indianischer Stil, Oriental style. Porcelain was displayed on carved, gilded plinths and brackets in front of textile or Japanese lacquer work and lacquer furniture. Chinese stoneware and soapstone carvings were skillfully intergrated into the design of the more than 30 rooms. Numerous for the wall-arrangements of Oriental porcelain are preserved. One of the most spectacular is the design by Zacharias Lorngelune from the year 1735. Inspired by this opulent design, New York architect Peter Marino created the concept for the presentation of the Chinese blue and white porcelain in a porcelain cabinet, combining the exotic luxury materials of Baroque era-porcelain, lacquer and silk-into a new fashion, to evoke the spirit of the Japanese palace, the porcelain palace of Augustus the Strong.

DRC29-DRC36: Chinese porcelain from Shuzhi era (1644-1661). This group of exquisite porcelain decorated in cobalt blue was made in the Shunzhi era (1644-1661), during the reign of the first emperor of the Qing dynasty. Painted with birds & flowers, landscapes or scholars, sometimes with literary allusions, these pieces were appreciated by the cultured Chinese elite.

DRC69-DRC84: The European term famille verte, chin, yingcai (hard colours) was coined during the 19th century. It denotes a palette of translucent enamels dominated by distinctive shades of green. The famille verte colours include yellow, iron red, aubergine and black. Decors of this style appeared at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and reached their summit in the Kangxi era (1662-1722). DRC73: Pot. The pot is modelled in the shape of bundled bamboo and was mounted in Europe. DRC79: Lantern. The lantern is modelled as a wafer thin and translucent porcelain body, which is decorated with scenes of everyday life in a river landscape. The neck and foot are fashioned in petal shape openwork, which were probably use for suspending.

DRC85, DRC86: Chinese porcelain of the Kangxi era (1662-1722) with powder-blue glaze and over decoration in gold and silver. The surface of this porcelain is completely covered withT a powder-blue glaze and adorned with a decoration in overglaze gold or silver. The vessels kept their original shining gold decoration surprisingly well while the remaining traces of silver have blackened. The underglaze blue was achieved by spraying the cobalt pigment through a bamboo tube covered at the end with a gauze so that the particles landed on the surface of the piece intended to be covered with the blue colour were reserved means of paper cut-outs. DRC87-DRC89: Chinese porcelain of the Kangxi era (1662-1722) painted in powder-blue and gold. Three tea-bowls. These “Chicken cups” with auspicious meanings of wealth and honour were popular sine the Cenghua era (1465-1487) Brush holder. The inscription contains one of the most famous works of Chinese literature, the prose poem, the journey to the Red Cliff (chin, chibi fu) by the poet Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo, 1037-1101). The decor shows a moonlit scene with the poet and his companion in a boat approaching the Red Cliff. According to the inventory of 1721 the brush holder was used as an ice cooler in Dresden. DRC90-DRC92: China, Jingdezhen, Kangxi, c.,1700.

DRC97-DRC108: Chinese Imari of the Kangxi era (1662-1722). The so-called old Imari wares that were made in Arita kilns in Japan are decorated in dark underglaze blue, overglaze iron red enamels and gold. These ornamental porcelains were exported in large qualities and were very popular on the western market. Noting the success, at the beginning of the 18th century Chinese potters started to make imitations which sold at lower prices. Chinese Imari primarily imitates the colour combination. The designs often resemble those of Chinese blue-and-white wares of the period, the red and gold giving them a rich appearance. DRC99.DRC100, DRC101: The pot is decorated with the Japanese “fan-pattern” design. Two covered jars. Jars are decorated with the “fan-pattern” design. DRC98, DRC99: Dish with open work rim. Persian style ewer. DRC107: Two small cache pots with conch shaped handles. The sea topic of the handles is repeated in the decor.

DRC109, DRC110: Chinese Kraak porcelain. Kraak porcelain belongs to a group of export porcelain of the first half of the 17th century. The name is derived from a Portuguese ship called caracca (Dutch: kraak) by which goods were shipped from Far East to Europe. From 1602 onwards the export and shipping of Chinese porcelain was no longer handled by the Portuguese but the Dutch East India Company Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (V.O.C). Shapes of kraak porcelain include small and big bowls, cups, dishes, bottles and vases. The decorative motifs consist of flowers, river scenes with birds, insects and human figures. The rims of vessels are divided into panels filled with auspicious symbols and flowers, DRC111-DRC116: Chinese export porcelain for the Dutch market of the kraak type, first half of the 17th century. DRC111-DRC113: Two bowls. The auspicous deer motif is an emblem of long life. DRC110: Bottle. The bottle is decorated with auspicious motifs like the heart-shaped ruyi-design.

DRC117-DRC119: Chinese porcelain in the famille rose style in the Yongzheng era (1723-1735). DRC120: Chinese porcelain in the famille rose style of the late Kangxi (1662-1722) and Uongzheng era (1723-1735). Bowl. The shallow dish of a rather heavy body has a shiny glaze with small impurities. It is decorated with the delicate colours of early famille rose. In the inventory of 1779, the dish was classified as belonging to the group, Grun Chinesisch Porcellain (Green Chinese Porcelain). Bottle vase. The bottle vase is decorated with chrysanthemums, peonies and butterflies. Covered bowl with saucer. Bowl and saucer are decorated with flowering roses.

DRC121-128: Chinese Porcelain from Dehua, Blancde Chine of the Kangxi era (1662-1722). The original collection of Augustus the Strong originally contained 1200 pieces of Dehua porcelain, of which around 500 are preserved. DRC121: The two beakers are mounted in Europe. The teapot was mounted in Europe during the second half of the 17th century. The beaker is decorated with flower applications and gold painting. An European mounting adorns this teapot.

DRC129-DRC132: Blanc de Chine, Chinese porcelain from Dehua. The pure white porcelain with a transparent glaze is characteristic of the ware from the kilns in Dehua in the province of Fujian and is also known as Blanc de Chine in Europe. With a stock of roughly 500 pieces Dresden has one of the most fiimportant collections. Dehua is particularly noted for its many figures. Initially made for the home maker they were also exported from the middle of the 17th century on. In Europe the whiteness of the undercorated figures were not always appreciated and they were sometimes painted with an overdecoration of red and black lacquer and gold paint.

DCR133-DCR148: Chinese email sur buscuit porcelain (unglazed porcelain with enamel colours) of the Kangxi era (1662-1722), DRC133-DRC136: Three parrots on rocks. DRC137-DRC140: Model of a Chinese junk. The junk is listed in the inventory of 1779 and was certainly one of the treasures of the royal collection. It is furnished with all kinds of auspicious symbols like the coin pattern signifying the desire for wealth and the swastika symbol of longevity on the shutter. The tiger mask of the bows carries the sign wang (king) on its forehead. DRC139, DRC140: Vessel. The vessel is modelled in the shape of a lobster. Remains of gold applications are still visible. DRC141-DRC143: Vessel for fragrant essences and two ball shaped pot pourri. Since the Song period (960-1279) the manufacture of open work porcelain is one of the greatest technical challenges. The potters of the Kangxi era were virtuosos in the mastery of the technique which in Chinese is called “supernatural work” (linglong or guigong).