Elegant Chinese export porcelain soup plate, produced at the renowned Jingdezhen manufactories during the Qianlong period (1736–1795) of the Qing dynasty and most likely dating from circa 1760–1775. This example belongs to the refined production intended for the European market and was made according to forms and decorative preferences developed for Western consumers, within the established trade routes that connected China with Europe throughout the 18th century. The decoration, entirely hand-painted in underglaze cobalt blue, features the traditional “Precious Objects” repertoire, also known as Antiques or Scholar’s Objects. The central composition brings together auspicious symbols and furnishings associated with the study and cultivated world of the Chinese scholar, including large flower-filled vases with peonies, traditionally associated with wealth and honor, incense burners placed on small tables shaped in imitation of scholar’s garden stones (gongshi), and painted scrolls. The rim is embellished with a refined alternation of geometric reserves featuring a lattice pattern, known as a scale ground, floral motifs, and stylized decorative elements, following a repertoire particularly widespread in Chinese porcelain made for the Western market during the 18th century. Two delicate stylized floral motifs are also painted on the reverse, corresponding to the rim. The form of the plate, characterized by a relatively deep well and a broad rim, belongs to types developed and widely used for the European market. Its shape and proportions reflect the requirements of Western dining and differ from the more traditional forms of porcelain intended for the Chinese domestic market. This feature provides further evidence consistent with the original function of the piece as export porcelain. The unglazed foot rim reveals the characteristic porcelain body based on kaolin and displays the natural surface patina developed over the centuries. Subtle variations in coloration, minute porosity, and traces of abrasion visible on the unglazed surface are consistent with the natural aging of the porcelain and its prolonged contact with supporting surfaces. The absence of a mark on the reverse is fully consistent with the commercial nature of the piece. Numerous Chinese porcelains produced during the 18th century for export to Europe bore no identifying mark on the underside. Imperial marks were primarily associated with wares made for the court, official commissions, and specific manufactories or periods, while a considerable portion of the commercial production from the Jingdezhen kilns intended for international markets remained unmarked. The absence of an identification mark on the underside therefore does not, in itself, contradict the attribution or dating of the object. Several formal and technical characteristics of this example are consistent with 18th-century production, including the slightly shaped profile of the rim, the tone and modulation of the cobalt blue, the floral and symbolic decorative repertoire, and the relatively low foot. These characteristics are frequently encountered in Chinese export porcelains produced during the Qianlong period. The piece is attributable to the Jingdezhen manufactories in Jiangxi Province, a historic center of primary importance for Chinese porcelain production and, from the 14th century onward, one of the world’s foremost centers of porcelain manufacture. The local kilns produced wares both for the domestic market and for Chinese merchants engaged in the flourishing international trade. The East India Companies played a fundamental role in distributing Chinese porcelain to Europe. They generally did not operate their own manufactories in Jingdezhen, but instead acted as major commercial intermediaries, purchasing goods, arranging their transportation, and distributing them throughout Western markets. Among the principal imported commodities were tea, silk, and porcelain. The companies most extensively involved in trade with China included the British East India Company, founded in 1600; the VOC (Dutch East India Company), founded in 1602; the Compagnie française des Indes; the Danish East India Company; and the Swedish East India Company. The commercial route followed by porcelain destined for Europe generally involved the transfer of wares from the Jingdezhen kilns to Chinese merchants and subsequently to Canton (Guangzhou), the principal center of China’s foreign trade. From there, cargoes were transported by European trading companies to their respective markets, where Chinese porcelain was highly sought after by royal courts, aristocrats, prominent families, and collectors. In the absence of specific provenance documentation, it is not possible to establish with certainty through which East India Company this particular plate was imported into Europe. Its type, however, is entirely consistent with the commercial system that, during the 18th century, facilitated the extraordinary spread of Jingdezhen porcelain among European courts, aristocratic families, and collectors. The plate is in good condition, considering its age and the nature of the object. The porcelain surface retains its characteristic material quality and displays minor irregularities attributable to the artisanal processes of shaping, decoration, and firing typical of 18th-century production. Small inclusions and minute traces of ferruginous oxidation are also visible, attributable to the composition of the raw materials used in the ceramic body. These characteristics, which developed and became more pronounced naturally over the centuries, are part of the normal evolution of the surface of an antique porcelain object and contribute to its historical patina, tactile quality, and distinctive character. Measurements: Diameter 22 cm (8.66 in.); height 3 cm (1.18 in.).
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SILVER Seller in Prato, Italy
