12.1.4  Early Porcelain Collectors

Chinese porcelain had a significant influence on European taste and hence its potters, as did Japanese Kakiemon from the 17^th century. As early as the 15^th century the European nobility became interested in collecting Chinese porcelain, one of the earliest examples being the 51 pieces of Chinese porcelain that were bequeathed by Lorenzo de Medici in 1492 AD, many being diplomatic gifts. Once Vasco da Gama had discovered the South African sea route to India in 1497 AD and broken the Venetian monopoly in Eastern trade, oriental trade and hence Chinese porcelain became more available, and was ranked in desirability alongside spices, silks and precious woods. As Portugal became rich from this trade, Spain invaded in 1580 AD and took over the East Indian connection. The Dutch then became a major trading nation in the 17^th century and Britain in the 18^th century.

The Medici family were great collectors of oriental porcelain, but none more so than Cardinal Ferdinando (1549-1609 AD) who became Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1587 AD. In 1571 AD  he gave 16 pieces of Chinese porcelain to the Elector of Saxony, Christian I (1560-1591 AD). In 1590 AD he gave a further 80 pieces of Chinese porcelain to his sister Isabella. Eight of his collection are in the Dresden Porcelain Collection including two from the inventory of 1579 AD - a phoenix wine jug and a crayfish shaped vessel, that probably represented the first documented Ming porcelain in Europe. However, there were earlier pieces such as a Longquan (11-14^th century) celadon bowl bought in the Middle East by a German Duke and mounted in silver in the Gothic style in 1435 AD. Rulers in the Middle East had significant Chinese porcelain collections that were the source of many early European pieces, such as the gift of 20 porcelain items given by the Egyptian Sultan to the Doge of Venice in 1461 AD. Depictions of such pottery appeared in paintings by Italian artists in the 15^th and 16^th centuries.

It was in the 17^th century that nobility started the practice of putting their “coat of arms” on their tableware, so they would send designs to Chinese potters to copy.

Chinese 18^th century armorial
plates - courtesy R&G McPherson
Antiques

This contributed to the humorous results mentioned earlier when Chinese decorators were painting objects, particularly animals, they had never seen before.

Chinese plates from 18^th
century, zodiac animals and tigers -
courtesy R&G McPherson Antiques and
Glade Antiques

Jesuit missionaries in China set up a porcelain painting school using Christian images, but it disappeared in the early 18^th century when persecution of Christians began. Designs sent to China for copying were not only drawings but also included models in wood, pewter, silver and faience. Some of the ruling classes in Europe became obsessed with porcelain that was referred to as “white gold” and they were no longer satisfied with local earthenware or stoneware products, and even gold and silver services were not as highly prized. Courts vied with each other to build fantastic, but very expensive, collections. They offered huge prizes to anyone who was able to find the formula for the porcelain that was so jealously guarded by the Asians. The popularity of porcelain was reinforced by a writer in 1562 who supported the previously mentioned superstition that porcelain would shatter if poisoned food was placed on it, quite an important feature at the time. This superstition persisted for some time in Europe.