Blue and white Chinese porcelain is one of the most long-lasting decorative items to date. The wares first appeared in the ninth century in Henan province, China and have since become an chief figure in interior decor worldwide.
Blue and white porcelain increased in popularity after their inception in the ninth century due to the refining of porcelain making skills and techniques and the growing Islamic trade. China imported all of the cobalt color used for the blue and white pieces from Persia, and the increased trade between the two countries led to increased production of the porcelain. During this time, the porcelain trade moved from Henan province to Jingdezhen, now known as the Porcelain capital of China.
The blue and white wares being produced at this time, however, did not look like how they look today. Instead the items had notable Islamic influences that included Persian and Arabic scripture and design motifs, most likely attributable to the active trade between the Middle East and China. Approaching the 17th century, however, the design motifs and overall appearance of the wares began to shift into what we would now recognize as ‘traditional’ Chinese blue and white porcelain. This shift occurred when the porcelain was made for export to the European markets. Exotic Chinese items were in high demand, thus the porcelain was now exclusively painted with traditional Chinese scenes and designs.
The porcelain became so popular in the European market that the Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, a palace containing arguably the most valuable and exotic collection of antiques in the world, created a room called the Porcelain Cabinet. The room was decorated with the most valuable and rare blue and white Chinese porcelain objects, wares, and oriental antiques. The room still draws huge numbers of visitors annually as it is considered one of the most beautiful rooms in the world.
Still today, vases, decorative plates, and other wares are incredibly popular forms of the porcelain. They give a fresh touch to a home with their light, fresh colors. Blue and white Chinese porcelains have become a staple antique for any antique collector.
Sources and extra information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_and_white_porcelain
http://www.chinaonlinemuseum.com/ceramics-blue-and-white-porcelain.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlottenburg_Palace
http://arts.cultural-china.com/en/31Arts240.html
Pictures via Pinterest
Beautiful post! I am a fan of blue and white ceramics & your blog Julia!
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Thank you Gina, they are my favorite too! Thank you for following my blog.
Best,
Julia
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