China and Sweden, Treasured Memories, Forbidden City exhibition 2005

The Swedish exhibition of Chinese Porcelain at the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2005

Second Section - Interaction

Chinese Blue and white Porcelain
in Swedish Collections

Kraak dish

31. Blue and White Dish
Wanli period, Ming dynasty
Md 20 cm, H 4 cm, Fd 11.5 cm
(Coll.: AW)

With flared rim, it is decorated with under glaze cobalt blue. There is a duck beside a lotus-pond, in a star shaped medallion surrounded by diaper patterns, stylized fruit-sprays and auspicious objects with ribbons, in pointed panels, around the sides. The exterior is decorated with emblems in panels and there is kiln grit inside the foot-rim.

This kind of blue and white porcelain is traditionally called 'kraak' after a captured Portuguese ship, which was taken to Amsterdam in 1602 where the cargo, partly porcelain was sold and later, copied in the Delft faience factories.

32.Blue and White Charger With Landscape Pattern
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1750
Md 54 cm, H 8.4 cm, Fd 32.3 cm
(Coll.: AW)
It was painted with under glaze cobalt blue. The rim is decorated with spirals and two frames with lotus and parasols, two with plum and fans. In the center is a scene with wall, pagoda, houses, flowers and trees surrounding a lake.

33.Blue and White Dish With Flower Pattern
Kangxi period, Qing dynasty c. 1710
Md 24.2 cm, H 2.8 cm, Fd 13.6 cm
(Coll.: AW)
These dishes are decorated with under glaze cobalt blue on the rim with lotus, plum and leaf. In the center is a flower and cliff scene; the reverse has two leafy sprigs; inside the foot rings are illegible cobalt blue 'shop marks'.

From the Dresden Collection of August, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony; there is incised mark N: 254 on one small dish from the same service.

34. Blue and White Dish With Flower Pattern
Kangxi period, Qing dynasty c.1710
Md 33 cm, H 3.7cm, Fd 18 cm
(Coll.: AW)

It is decorated with under glaze cobalt blue with lotus flowers (xi fan lian) and peonies, and a similar border on the rim dressed with iron brown.

Incised inventory mark is N: 399.
From the Dresden Collection of August, The Strong, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony.

35. Blue and White Armorial Porcelain Plate
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c. 1750
Diam. 14 and 24, height 3 cm
Collection of the City Museum of Gothenburg
Decoration: under-glaze blue; coat of arms of the Swedish burgher family Grill (never ennobled) in an asymmetric shield. The shield is placed on a rococo-cartouche and is surrounded by foliage, flowers and clouds. Rim with brown edge and four rococo-ornaments, which interrupt the border of the well and are combined with laurel sprays; a diaper-border at the edge.
The Grill family played a crucial role in the SOIC: four members were directors in the Company; during the first and second charters 1731-66, among them Abraham Grill and his half-brother Claes Grill. The latter also was a great part owner in the shipyards in Stockholm, where most of the Swedish East Indiamen were built.

36. Blue and White Plate With Pavilion Pattern
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1780
Md 22.5 cm, H 2.7 cm, Fd 13 cm
(Coll.: AW)

Painted in under glaze cobalt blue on a soft past (huashi) surface, depicting a pagoda in a river scene with birds and a boat. On the rim are six bunches of chrysanthemum, finger citron and peonies.

37. Blue and White Octagonal Wash basin Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1750
Md 38 x37cm, H 8.5 cm, Fd 23.5 cm
(Coll.: AW)

A deep octagonal shape, decorated in under glaze cobalt blue. In the center, a lake scene with willows and two peacocks surrounded by a carnation border. The rim has a dense brocaded flower diaper, fish roe and spirals border.

38. Blue and White Plate With Pavilion and Landscape Pattern Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1760-80
Md 24 cm, H 2.5 cm, Fd 14 cm
(Coll.: AW)

Painted in under glaze cobalt blue, it depicts a seascape surrounded by a diaper border in the well and on the rim a continuous fringe of flowers and diapers and butterflies. The shape is a typical European shape.

39. Blue and White Rectangular Dish
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty 1760
Md 32 x 22 cm, H 3 cm, Fd 24 x15cm
(Coll.: AW)
A rectangular four lobed shape painted in under glaze cobalt blue, depicting a waterscape with man in boat, a person crossing a bridge, houses and a pagoda.

40. Blue and White Dish With Flower and Figure Pattern Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1750
Md 28 x 19.7cm, H 3 cm, Fd 21.7 x 13 cm
(Coll.: AW)
Shaped like a European Rocco silver dish, it is decorated in under glaze cobalt blue with a lady and dog on a boat in a waterscape surrounded by a diamond diaper on the rim and a continuous scroll of fish roe and flower.

41. Blue and White Shaving basin
Qianlong/Jiaqing period, Qing dynasty, the end of 18th century
Length 31.5, width 26 cm, height 7 cm. Foot-ring 14.9 x 10.1 cm
Collection of the City Museum of Gothenburg

Oval basin of heavy porcelain, with semi-circular cut-out rim. Painted decoration in under-glaze blue: river scape with house and boat. Three floral motifs decorate the rim. A couple of peony sprays on the underside.

42. Blue and White Tureen with Landscape Pattern
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1770
L 26 cm, Md 25 cm, H 23.5 cm, Fd 17.5cm
(Coll.: AW)
Rounded sides with shaped upright loop handles, stands on a splayed foot; lid surmounted by a peach finial with three applied leaves. Sides painted in under glaze cobalt blue with chrysanthemum, peonies and fruits; foot has fungi, pearl, fan and book symbols; lid is painted with plants and flowers. The applied leaves and handles are in cobalt blue.

43. Blue and White Butter-box
Late Qianlong period, Qing dynasty
Measures (lid and dish inclusive): length 15.7, width 12.5, height 9 cm; foot-ring of the dish 9.5 x 6.5 cm
Collection of the City Museum of Gothenburg
Oval, miniature tureen shape with lidded dish, lid has knob, no handles. Blue under glaze decoration: river-landscape with two-storied Chinese house, rocks, and flying birds in the sky. Flowered border in sections with different background-patterns--scrolls, honeycomb, etc. Probably brought to Sweden by Abraham Samuel Blix (1747-1804), marine lieutenant, who served as mate in SOIC during the third and fourth charters 1766-1806.

44. Blue and White Armorial Porcelain Tureen
Jiaqing period, Qing dynasty c.1810
Mouth 31 x 22.5 cm, H 22.5cm, foot 19 x 15 cm
(Coll.: AW)
Bombe-shaped with two entwined handles and lid with a fruit finial; painted in under glaze cobalt blue with two medallions encircled by spearhead borders on bowl and dense diaper and spearhead borders on foot, rim and lid.
This design is a late version of the 'Fitzhugh pattern' introduced in the 1770's by Thomas Fitzhugh, a captain in English East India Company, stationed in China 1779-81.

45. Blue and White Goblet
Kangxi period, Qing dynasty c.1700
Md 8 cm, H 11.2 cm, Fd 5 cm
(Coll.: AW)
Tapering octagonal shape on a domed foot decorated in under glaze cobalt blue with/alternating landscape and plants with birds on the eight facets; speckled diaper around rim, two spiral borders on the stem and leaf border on the foot. The shape is derived from the European glass model.

46. Blue and White Wine Cup with Flower Pattern
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1770
Md 7, H 10, Fd 4.2 cm
(Coll.: AW)
High stem, painted in two shades of cobalt blue under glaze, on a soft paste (hua shi) surface. Decorated/flowers on cup, banana leaves around the stem, ruyi on the interior and stylized leaves around the base. Shape derived from European model. It is possible that the cup was used for white liquor especially genever (type of gin.)

47. Blue and White Ewer with Peacock Pattern
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty
Mouth 16.9x 10.3 cm, H 23.5 cm, Fd 9.4 cm
(Coll.: AW)

Meissen style and with sweeping molded curves; painted under glaze with cobalt blue, decorated on each side with flower sprig and stylized animals with dragonhead and peacock feathers in mid section, tassels around the mouth and molded lotus leaves around the foot. Such ewers usually had rustic stalk handles with pruned knots and frequently a metal hinge linking the upper forward part of the handle pierced for a metal hinge. Howard & Ayers, China for the West.

48.Blue and White Chocolate Jug/Coffee Pot
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1760-70
Md 6.2 cm, H. 21 cm, Fd 7 cm
(Coll.: AW)

Copying the Silverware shape, with domed cover, decorated with under glaze cobalt blue on white soft paste, hua shi, porcelain; a tree on one side, pagoda landscape on the other. Lid and handle pierced for a metal hinge. Ear shaped handle has typical thumb support. Made after a European baroque metal prototype; motif may be linked to Anson's travels.

49. Blue and White Octagonal Ewer
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty 1740s
Length inclusive of spout 25.3, width 15.5 cm
Bottom 23.1, height 23 cm. GM 4631
Collection of the City Museum of Gothenburg
Imitation of an octagonal wooden vessel. At the closed top is an imitation crossbar or bolt between uprights; the bolt has a handle in form of pair of seals with/ball between their mouths; a hole with lid at one side of the closed top and a spout of pewter high up on the opposite front side - the lid has otter shaped finial. Painted oriental decoration in under-glaze blue on top and sides: floral or twig and bird-motifs on sides.

50. Blue and White Teapot with Landscape Pattern
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty 1790
Md 9.2 cm, H 12.5 cm, Fd 11.1 cm
(Coll.: AW)
Straight spout and flat lid with lizhi finial and entwined strap-handle, decorated with under glaze cobalt with European houses and willow landscape. Decorated after a European print. English 'New Hall' porcelain; sometimes called 'Trench Mortar' in Europe. spout shaped to fit a metal application.

51. Blue and White Coffeepot
Qianlong/ Jiaqing period, Qing dynasty c. 1800
Md 7.5 cm, H 24 cm, Fd 13 cm, width 21cm
(Coll.: AW)
Conical shape, lid with lizhi shaped finial; straight spout and twisted twin handle with under glaze cobalt blue seascape with sea and pavilions.

52.Blue and White Candlesticks
Qianlong, Qing dynasty c.1780
Md 5cm, H 12 cm, dish d. 10 cm
(Coll.: AW)

Under glaze cobalt blue motif of riverscape and pavilion and with blue bifurcated dragons (zhilong) supporting stems.

53.A Blue and White Saltcellar with Three Legs
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1750
Md 6.3 cm, distance between feet 4 cm, H 4.7cm
(Coll.: AW)

Decorated with under glaze cobalt on interior with willows and lotus pond; exterior with alternating brocade panels of lotus and bamboo. Copy of an English silver saltcellar.

54. Blue and White Globular Pot (cuspidor)
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1750
Md 12.5 cm, H 8.5 cm, Fd 8.3 cm
(Coll.: AW)
Rounded rim and loop handle; painted under glaze with cobalt blue tree peonies and bamboo on the exterior, three peony branches on rim and formal flower spray on the handle. From Dutch East Indiaman Geldermalsen (Nanking Cargo), which sank in 1752. Used by tobacco chewers.

55. A Blue and White Spittoon
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c. 1750-60
Md 13, H 10 cm, Fd 5 cm
(Coll.: AW)
Spherical with flared rim decorated under glaze with cobalt blue. Decorated with peonies and chrysanthemum in garden on body and fish roe, diapers and stylized flowers on rim.

56. Blue and White Armorial Plate for the Grill Family
Qianlong period, Qing dynasty c.1750-60
Md 24.8 cm, H 2.3 cm, Fd 14 cm
(Coll.: AW)

Scalloped rim painted under glaze cobalt blue with crane with grasshopper in its beak and standing on stones placed on a plinth. Rim and well are decorated with massive floral and Rocco ornaments. Shape similar to European silver; thickness is typical of faience from the period.

Grasshopper is 'grillo' in Italian, "crane and grasshopper" design was the pseudo arms of the Grill family, who though not ennobled, were one of the most important families for the Swedish East India Company. Four members were directors at different times; they ordered at least eight different services between late 1740 and 1780.




 

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