About 100 exported porcelains from the Qing Dynasty are on exhibition in Nanjing Museum recently. Exported porcelain refers to porcelain that is produced in domestic kilns and sold to foreign countries.
The period between the Reign of Emperor Kangxi (1667 -1772) and Emperor Yongzheng (1722-1735) were the heyday of exporting porcelain in Qing Dynasty. These porcelains, mainly in blue and white, was sold to Europe through various channels. According to statistics, more than 60 million blue and white porcelains were exported overseas in 18th century.
No matter shapes or patterns, these exported porcelains are full of exotic style. “In order to adapt to foreign market and to cater the aesthetic habits and customs of Europeans, ancient Chinese craftsmen would sometimes fire the porcelain based on the design of foreign peers — ‘follow suit’ as we call it,” said staff of the museum. After shipped to Europe, these porcelains were bought by royal families and aristocrats. Instead of being used, they were mostly placed at home as decoration.
It is learnt that the exhibition will be held through to August.