Let's Learn About...Porcelain

This June, LET’S LEARN ABOUT…Porcelain!

Have you ever wondered – about bowls, plates, cups, and spoons your family uses, or the ones you see in restaurants – what material was used to make them? The ones with a glass-like surface, they could be porcelain!

Porcelain is an especially refined type of ceramic – usually white and translucent, lightweight yet durable. Some of the best porcelain is made using a clay called kaolin, a natural material in the earth that could be found in large quantities in parts of China. The Chinese were the first to perfect the art of making porcelain.

Chinese porcelain objects were so well-made and beautiful that they were traded as precious goods and beloved around the world. One type of porcelain, made in the Dehua kilns, in Fujian province, became especially popular with European collectors. The milky white colour of these wares earned them the French nickname: "blanc de Chine" (which means "white from China"). The earliest Dehua porcelain objects date back to over 700 years ago, but they were most popular in the 17th and 18th centuries.

OBJECTS IN ACM COLLECTION

Plum tree with figures China, Dehua, 19th century Porcelain Gift of Dorothy Chan in honour of her godmother Mrs Pamela Hickley 2019-00535

This Dehua porcelain sculpture of a tree, at 54 cm tall, has many fine details. The kaolin clay around Dehua was especially good for shaping and moulding. And the purity of it allows for bright white porcelain. 

What can you see in this sculpture? Did you notice that the roots and branches curve in different directions, and that the plum blossoms are in different stages of blooming? This shows the high level of skill of the Dehua potters who created detailed artworks like this!

What other things can you spot? Can you think up a story about what's going on? Take a closer look at this sculpture in our Ceramics Gallery on Level 3.

Coffee pot Porcelain: Japan, Arita, late 1600s or early 1700s Gilded metal mount: Probably Germany, 1700s 2016-00366

What would happen if two very skilled artists came together to produce something special? The porcelain parts of this coffee pot were made in Japan. The gold-coloured metal parts were added in Europe. Coffee was becoming popular in Europe around this time, so a coffee lover in Europe probably used to own this pot! Japanese ceramics were introduced to European countries through trade.

From where do you think the coffee is poured out?

It’s not that hard to spot porcelain made in Arita, Japan, once you know they are usually decorated with vibrant blue, red, and orange colours. You can find this coffee pot in our Maritime Trade Gallery on Level 1.