TIANQI or CHONGZHEN c.1625 – 1635 Transitional Porcelain

A Rare Transitional Porcelain Yellow Ground Dish for the Japanese Market, Tianqi (1621-1627) or Chongzhen (1628-1644) c.1625-1635. The Thinly Potted Porcelain Dish is Moulded as an Open Chrysanthemum Flower. The Yellow Ground is Unevenly Applied.

Condition
There is a fine rim crack c.16 mm, typical rim fritting.
Size
Diameter : 15.5 cm (6 1/8 inches)
Provenance
From a Private American Collection.
Stock number
24412

Photos

Information

Ming Yellow ground porcelain is often described as being made exclusively for the Imperial Ming court. However, during the decay of Ming power, from the early years of the 17th century, yellow was very occasionally used for none Imperial porcelain. This must not be confused with Ming porcelain that has had a yellow ground added at a later period.

Ming Porcelain for Japan :
During the late Ming Period the Chinese made a large among of porcelain for the Japanese market, it was made from the Wanli period (1573-1620) and ended in the Chongzhen period (1628-1644), the main period of production being the 1620`2 and 1630`s. The porcelain objects produced were made especially for the Japanese market, both the shapes and the designs were tailored to Japanese taste, the production process too allowed for Japanese aesthetics to be included in the finished object. Its seams firing faults were added, repaired tears in the leather-hard body were too frequent to not, in some cases, be deliberate. These imperfections as well as the fritting Mushikui (insect-nibbled) rims and kiln grit on the footrims all added to the Japanese aesthetic. The shapes created were often expressly made for the Japanese tea ceremony meal, the Kaiseki, small dishes for serving food at the tea ceremony are the most commonly encountered form. Designs, presumably taken from Japanese drawings sent to China, are very varied, often using large amount of the white porcelain contrasting well with the asymmetry of the design.