17th century Chinese porcelain for the domestic and export markets

A guest-curated, in-person specialist art short course offered by the SOAS-Alphawood Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art.

Until relatively recently, the importance of Jingdezhen porcelain produced in the 17th century had not been appreciated. During this tumultuous period of Chinese history when the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) ruled by the Han people was replaced by that of the Qing (1644-1911) originating from Manchuria, porcelain was no longer produced for the Imperial Court which, for so long, had been seen as the ultimate arbiter of quality and taste. 

Instead of this leading to the demise of the porcelain industry, there was an explosion of creativity as the potters and painters sought out new markets and exploited the freedom from Imperial constraints to experiment with new shapes, decorations, colours and subject matters.

Porcelain was produced both for the cultured literati or official class which ruled China under the Emperor and the new wealthy merchants of China who emulated their lifestyles, as well as meeting the insatiable demands of foreign markets such as those of Japan, Persia, India and Europe. Each market required specific types of shapes and decorations which, through a process of interchange, led to an entirely new repertoire of objects. There are pieces of exceptionally high quality of production and artistic mastery which are unique works of art, while others were massed produced but decorated with originality and flair.

The course will draw heavily on the collection of Sir Michael Butler (1927-2013) who assembled the most famous collection in the world of this period, and attendees will visit the museum in Dorset where the collection is housed. It is convened by Dr Teresa Canepa and Katharine Butler who co-authored the book ‘Leaping the Dragon Gate. The Sir Michael Butler Collection of 17th Century Chinese Porcelain’ published in November 2021. Katharine is Sir Michael’s daughter.

Attendees will be eligible for a free 1-year membership to the Oriental Ceramic Society. Existing OCS members are eligible for a discounted fee.