CHONGZHEN or SHUNZHI 1640 – 1660 Blanc de Chine Porcelain
A Transitional Blanc de Chine Porcelain Linglong Beaker, Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen 1628-1644 or Qing Dynasty, Shunzhi Period c.1640-1660.
SOLD
- Condition
- In very good condition, a small shallow chip to one point at the top rom c.2 x 2 mm.
- Size
- Height : 6 cm (2 3/8 inches)
- Provenance
- N/A
- Stock number
- 24157
- References
- References : For a very similar Blanc de Chine porcelain reticulated cup dated to c.1640 see : Exhibition of Blanc de Chine (S.Marchant & Son, Exhibition Catalogue December 1985) page 36, plate 83
Photos
Information
Blanc de Chine Porcelain :
The porcelain known in the West as Blanc de Chine was produced 300 miles south of the main Chinese kiln complex of Jingdezhen. The term refers to the fine grain white porcelain made at the kilns situated near Dehua in the coastal province of Fujian, these kilns also produced other types of porcelain. A rather freely painted blue and white ware, porcelain with brightly coloured `Swatow` type enamels as well as pieces with a brown iron-rich glaze. However it is the white blanc de Chine wares that have made these kilns famous. The quality and colour achieved by the Dehua potters was partly due to the local porcelain stone, it was unusually pure and was used without kaolin being added. This, combined with a low iron content and other chemical factors within the body as well as the glaze, enabled the potters to produce superb ivory-white porcelain.
Linglong / Reticulated Porcelain :
The present piece is an example of what can be referred to as `reticulated` porcelain, reticulated meaning having the form or appearance of a net, it was used as early the beginning of the 18th Century by the famous Père Francois Xavier d`Entrecolles (1664-1741) to describe this type of work on porcelain. Another popular term for this type of pierced or cut decoration is `Devils Work` or Guigong. However the Chinese term Linglong is gradually replacing the previous terms, helped by the publication of Jorge Welsh`s book `Linglong` (Jorge Welsh,London,2004.ISBN 972-99045-2-9). There does not seem to be any difference in the use of terms between the free standing pierced porcelain or that supported by an inner wall, nor a distinction made between the most refined work or the type with larger cut-out sections of porcelain.