WHITE GOLD

The influence and inspiration of 'Blanc de Chine' porcelain
on English and Continental porcelain

By Patricia Begg OAM

 


Published by the Ceramics and Glass Circle of Australia Inc.
P.O. Box 243 Hawksburn 3142

© Copyright: Ceramics and Glass Circle of Australia, 2004

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Editor: Chris Begg
Photography: Rick Merri
Cover design: Amanda Roach Design
Produced by Ceramics and Glass Circle of Australia Inc.

Using pieces from:
17 private collections
Hamilton Art Gallery

 

CONTENTS

  • President's Introduction by Patricia Begg OAM
  • The Western Quest for Porcelain
  • Catalogue:
    • Blanc de Chine
    • Enthroned Guanyins and Drinking Vessels
    • Porcelain from Jindezhen
    • The Scholaršs Desk and Wine Cups
    • The Western Influence in Dehua
    • The Dehua Influence on Western Porcelain
    • English Inspiration
    • An Entrepreneur, Actor and a Musician
    • Shell Table Decoration
    • Baroque Influence
    • Floral Table Wares
    • Religious Figures
    • Figures Inspired by Classic Gods
    • Rococo Frivolous Inspiration
    • The Rococo Use of Cupids and Putti
    • Biscuit Porcelain Figures
  • Bibliography
     

 

AUTHORS' INTRODUCTION

The Ceramics and Glass Circle of Australia was formed twenty years ago to provide a focus for people interested in ceramics and glass. The aim of the group is to build its membersš understanding of a wide variety of ceramics and glass, and of the life and times of the period in which they were produced.

The group has grown from a small band of loyal supporters to about 170 who mostly come from Victoria, with ten percent from interstate and England. Our membership is an exciting and buoyant group, with enormous enthusiasm for the acquisition of knowledge and the sharing of their collections.

The Circle, some thirteen years ago, started developing exhibitions that moved around Victoria and Melbourne. This, our thirteenth exhibition, will first be at the Hamilton Art Gallery and then in Melbourne at the Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery. The Directors of these galleries embraced the idea of 'White Gold' with enthusiasm.

"White Gold ­ the influence and inspiration of 'Blanc de Chine' porcelain on English and Continental porcelain" is the Ceramic and Glass Circlešs twentieth anniversary exhibition. This exhibition goes back to the Circlešs roots where a group of people met together to talk about their love of 18th century porcelain and glass. The purity of white porcelain, in all of its manifestations, draws many of our members interests together. Those that collect Chinese, French, German, Italian or English porcelain were all able to contribute to this exhibition. Even the Shaw Bequest to Hamilton Art Gallery provided us with some wonderful white pieces.

The exhibition examines the enormous influence that Blanc de Chine porcelains of Dehua, Fujian Province in south-eastern China, had on the developing porcelain factories of the 18th century in Europe.

The exhibition shows how the Orient affected our imagination, and stimulated us to struggle to make porcelain, to copy ideas and then, ultimately, to adapt and create our own.

By Patricia Begg OAM