Elegant Chinese export porcelain deep plate, made at the renowned kilns of Jingdezhen during the Qianlong period (1736–1795), under the Qing Dynasty, and most likely dating from circa 1760–1775. The piece belongs to the refined production intended for the European market and was created for export through the established trade routes that, during the 18th century, connected China with the principal Western markets. The decoration is entirely hand-painted in underglaze cobalt blue and features a refined floral and ornamental composition at the center. On the left are large peonies in full bloom, while the center depicts an ornamental vase placed on a low table, an element associated with the traditional Chinese decorative repertoire known as the Hundred Antiques (Bo Gu or Po-Ku), one of the most important themes in Chinese decorative art. The composition is further enlivened by small flying insects, including bees, which add a sense of naturalism and movement to the scene. The intermediate section is defined by an elegant geometric lattice border, creating a decorative transition before the rim. The rim features a succession of shaped reserves alternately decorated with flowering branches and dense geometric motifs, following an ornamental vocabulary that retains echoes of the Kraak porcelain tradition as reinterpreted in Chinese wares produced for Western markets. Taken as a whole, the decoration evokes a refined garden scene in the tradition of Chinese pictorial art, adapted to meet the growing European demand for exotic and luxurious porcelain. This type of blue-and-white decorative repertoire is characteristic of Chinese export porcelain produced from the mid-18th century through the final decades of the century and represents one of the most highly appreciated ornamental languages in European collecting and patronage. The combination of landscape elements, flowers, insects, and objects drawn from the Hundred Antiques repertoire illustrates the richness of the decorative vocabulary employed by the Jingdezhen potters for porcelain intended for Western markets. The absence of a mark on the underside is entirely consistent with the commercial nature of the piece. Numerous Chinese porcelain wares produced for export to Europe during the 18th century were left unmarked on the base. Imperial marks were primarily associated with wares made for the imperial court, official commissions, and specific imperial workshops or periods, while a substantial portion of the commercial production from the Jingdezhen kilns intended for international trade remained unmarked. The absence of an identifying mark on the underside therefore does not, in itself, contradict the attribution or dating of the piece. Several formal and technical characteristics are consistent with an 18th-century production, including the subtly shaped profile of the rim, the tone and modulation of the cobalt blue, the floral and figurative decorative repertoire, and the relatively low foot. These characteristics are frequently encountered in Chinese export porcelain produced during the Qianlong period. The piece is attributable to the Jingdezhen kilns in Jiangxi Province, a historic center of major 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 throughout Europe. They generally did not operate their own kilns at Jingdezhen, but instead functioned as major commercial intermediaries, purchasing, arranging the transportation of, and distributing large quantities of Asian goods throughout Western markets, including tea, silk, and porcelain. Among the principal companies involved in trade with China were the British East India Company, founded in 1600; the VOC (Dutch East India Company), founded in 1602; the French East India Company (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 the port of 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 aristocrats, affluent 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 international trading system that, throughout the 18th century, facilitated the remarkable diffusion of Jingdezhen porcelain among European courts, aristocratic households, and collectors. The plate is in good condition, considering its age and the nature of the material. The porcelain surface retains its characteristic tactile quality and displays minor irregularities associated with the traditional hand-modeling, decoration, and firing processes of 18th-century production. Small inclusions and minute traces of iron oxidation are also visible, attributable to the composition of the raw materials used in the ceramic body. These features, which have naturally developed and become more pronounced over the centuries, form part of the normal aging of an antique porcelain surface and contribute to its historic patina, material character, and overall appeal. Measurements: Diameter: 24 cm (9.45 in.); Height: 3 cm (1.18 in.).
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SILVER Seller in Prato, Italy
