Noted for their refined bodies and elegant shapes, porcelains made during the reigns of the Xuande (1426-1435) and Chenghua (1465-1487) emperors of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) are ranked among the finest examples of imperial Chinese wares. Many of the characteristics of 15th-century porcelains result from increased imperial interest in ceramics. Ceramic production during this time--which was the near-exclusive domain of the imperial Jingdezhen kilns in Jiangxi Province--is noted for the development and refinement of techniques for making and decorating wares, experimentation with shapes and designs, and the widespread use of reign marks (inscriptions that identify the name of the dynasty and the reign name of an emperor).
A six-character Xuande mark is written on the base of this elegant dish. Its decoration, reserved in white against a dark blue background, was incised into the porcelain body, then the surrounding areas painted in with blue pigment and the entire piece covered with a transparent glaze. The design composition--a single large floral spray in the center of the interior and four different floral sprays along the interior rim, or cavetto--is found in many other pieces from the period, suggesting that potters relied on pattern books created at the court.
The decorative motifs on this dish illustrate the numerous variations of flowers and fruits found in the designs of Xuande-era porcelain. A spray of camellias is encircled by peaches, pomegranates, crab apple, and litchi; four spraysdecorate the exterior rim with reserve decoration. As is characteristic of dishes from the Xuande era, the designs are larger, more forceful, and more focused than was typical of earlier works with similar motifs.
Although the motifs seen on this dish were chosen primarily for their decorative possibilities, it is important to remember their numerous symbolic associations. For example, the pomegranate often symbolized the desire for children; the peach represents immortality; the Chinese word for apple (ping) is a homonym for that of peace; and the camellia is sometimes understood to refer to young women. The combination of these auspicious motifs and their constant reuse has led to the suggestion that dishes with such decoration were intended to be used by women. Commissioned throughout the Ming dynasty, dishes decorated with motifs of this type were made in several color schemes, including blue and white, yellow and white, and more rarely, brown and white. If they were indeed made for women, it is possible that the variety in color schemes and decoration reflected the different statuses of the many women at the Chinese court. Court regulations from the subsequent Qing dynasty (1644-1912) indicate that certain color combinations were specifically assigned to court ladies of different ranks. For example, yellow porcelains were used by the empress and empress dowager, while those with white interiors were assigned to concubines of the first rank. It is possible that some version of this systemwas already in use during the Ming dynasty, just as many of the imperial symbols used by the Qing, such as the five-clawed dragon, had been developed earlier.
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Noted for their refined bodies and elegant shapes, porcelains made during the reigns of the Xuande (1426-1435) and Chenghua (1465-1487) emperors of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) are ranked among the finest examples of imperial Chinese wares. Many of the characteristics of 15th-century porcelains result from increased imperial interest in ceramics. Ceramic production during this time--which was the near-exclusive domain of the imperial Jingdezhen kilns in Jiangxi Province--is noted for the development and refinement of techniques for making and decorating wares, experimentation with shapes and designs, and the widespread use of reign marks (inscriptions that identify the name of the dynasty and the reign name of an emperor).<P>A six-character Xuande mark is written on the base of this elegant dish. Its decoration, reserved in white against a dark blue background, was incised into the porcelain body, then the surrounding areas painted in with blue pigment and the entire piece covered with a transparent glaze. The design composition--a single large floral spray in the center of the interior and four different floral sprays along the interior rim, or cavetto--is found in many other pieces from the period, suggesting that potters relied on pattern books created at the court.</P><P>The decorative motifs on this dish illustrate the numerous variations of flowers and fruits found in the designs of Xuande-era porcelain. A spray of camellias is encircled by peaches, pomegranates, crab apple, and litchi; four spraysdecorate the exterior rim with reserve decoration. As is characteristic of dishes from the Xuande era, the designs are larger, more forceful, and more focused than was typical of earlier works with similar motifs.</P><P>Although the motifs seen on this dish were chosen primarily for their decorative possibilities, it is important to remember their numerous symbolic associations. For example, the pomegranate often symbolized the desire for children; the peach represents immortality; the Chinese word for apple (<I>ping</I>) is a homonym for that of peace; and the camellia is sometimes understood to refer to young women. The combination of these auspicious motifs and their constant reuse has led to the suggestion that dishes with such decoration were intended to be used by women. Commissioned throughout the Ming dynasty, dishes decorated with motifs of this type were made in several color schemes, including blue and white, yellow and white, and more rarely, brown and white. If they were indeed made for women, it is possible that the variety in color schemes and decoration reflected the different statuses of the many women at the Chinese court. Court regulations from the subsequent Qing dynasty (1644-1912) indicate that certain color combinations were specifically assigned to court ladies of different ranks. For example, yellow porcelains were used by the empress and empress dowager, while those with white interiors were assigned to concubines of the first rank. It is possible that some version of this systemwas already in use during the Ming dynasty, just as many of the imperial symbols used by the Qing, such as the five-clawed dragon, had been developed earlier.</P>
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