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Abstract

Chinese porcelain is not simply a material product, but a transcultural medium, with a long history that has been preserved in museums and by collectors all over the world. Unlike tea, spices, and (to some extent) silk, which are difficult to trace since they were all consumed at their destinations, trade porcelain is a special medium, durable enough to survive to the present day. By the early 16th century, the Portuguese and Spanish had opened the sea route to China. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Netherlands, England, and other European countries also joined this lucrative trade. During the 17th century, possessing and displaying Chinese export porcelain, known as ‘white gold,’ became a status symbol among European aristocrats, as evidenced by the porcelain rooms of Europe’s royal families, such as the stunning one in the Palace of Charlottenburg built for Sophie Charlotte, the second wife of Frederick III, King of Prussia. Naturally, European potters attempted to replicate this exotic curiosity to cut down on or eliminate the cost of importing it. The Dutch were the first to imitate Chinese blue-and-white porcelain in a small town called Delft. However, this so-called ‘faience’ was not true porcelain, as it did not quite match the quality of Chinese porcelain. In 1709, the formula for “real” porcelain was discovered after much experimentation at Meissen by Friedrich Böttger (1682-1719). Forming a transcultural circle, European culture was also appropriated to Chinese official wares, especially from the middle of the 17th century to the end of the 18th century. This dissertation has paid close attention to the painted enamel ware in the Qing court, a new art form introduced by the envoys and missionaries from Europe. My analysis focus on three aspects of representations: interaction, appropriation, and adaptation. The main goal of this study was to investigate the bi-directional interflow of Chinese and European porcelain during the 17th and 18th centuries, focusing on the complex systems of artisans in kilns, workshops, courts, and ateliers and how they mutually appropriated techniques and ideas.