Made at Nantgarw South Wales circa 1820
The invention of
porcelain, as well as its later reinvention in the West, was not a
single achievement but a continuous process involving a series of
incremental innovations. The issue is not
only who did it -- the inventor who truly
discovered the relevant techniques in Europe -- but
also what did it, that is, which of the many
innovations were the crucial ones.
In the East as well
as the West, porcelain developed from stoneware, a hard and brittle
ceramic made of clay and fired at about 1,250°C. Between the
seventh and tenth centuries, unknown Chinese artisans invented
porcelain by replacing the clay with a mixture of ingredients
(kaolin, quartz, and feldspar) and firing this mixture at higher
temperatures, up to 1,320°C. Two features distinguish
porcelain from its common cousin, stoneware. Stoneware clay
consists of relatively coarse, hydrated silicates of aluminum that
change colours when fired. For example, a gray or brown base colour
may turn yellowish or reddish. Porcelain clay is a fine-grained
white clay that stays white when fired. This "china clay," or
kaolin (after gao ling, the Chinese mountain where
it was first found), is one feature distinguishing porcelain from
stoneware. Unlike stoneware, which is composed of all fusible
materials, the porcelain mass is a mixture of fusible and infusible
ingredients. Because of the materials' different melting points,
one ingredient melts in the kiln while the other stays solid.
Infusible china clay or kaolin is the "bone" of the porcelain, as
the Chinese called it..
In the 17th century
European trade with china expanded rapidly. Chinese porcelain was
extremely popular among the wealthy ruling classes .Only the
wealthy could afford even simple blue and white bowls. They were
the ultimate luxury product. So it was no surprise that Europeans from Holland
,France, Germany and England all tried desperately to copy the
Chinese.
The early European
copies of Chinese items are not porcelain but earthenware (pottery)
type items. These are known as "delftware". In 1708 at Meissen in
Germany an alchemist is said to have successfully developed the
first European porcelain. The French and English were quick to
follow and by the middle of the 18th century there was a huge
expansion in the porcelain manufacturing business across Europe and
England. All the early European porcelain tried to copy the
decoration of the Chinese. Even much later a famous Chinese pattern
was still being copied known as "blue willow".
Many fortunes were
made and the porcelain industry was one of Europe's most important
drivers of the industrial revolution from the 18th to the middle of
the 19th century. As time passed the early copies of Chinese
designs gave way to many original patterns and the Europeans in all
countries including France, Germany and England perfected styling
and decoration . The English models were the French productions of
Sevres.
Today one of
Europe's most proud artistic achievement is the tremendous
porcelain that it has produced over the past two hundred years
particularly during the first half of the 19th cenury.
There are many
lessons to be learned from the fusion of art with the productions
of the porcelain art mass production industry in Europe over this
time. The Chinese can take great pride in knowing that without
their inspiration Europe would never have developed porcelain to
such a high art form. Also in a real way porcelain production
played an important role in the economic rise of England, France
and Germany economically.
These developments
all rested on the demand of the upper classes for objects such as
furniture to accommodate new consumer behaviours such as drinking
tea and chocolate, using elaborate furniture that was the essential
setting for largely ritualistic, elaborate meals, one of which was
dessert that required special place settings on mahogany
tables. Porcelain, because of the need for precise
temperature control in the kilns, has always been very expensive
and as well as being required for dining ceremonials was collected
specifically to put on display in specially designed
cabinets
The conclusions with
respect to the rise of the porcelain industry in Europe and the
implications for China are as follows.
1- The West copied
the Chinese 200 years before the
Chinese ever copied any western item or idea.
2- Without China the
west would never have developed
one of their most important art forms.
3- Without China the
West would never have developed
one of the most important industries of the period .A new
industry that was an important part of the industrial
revolution.
4- The West was able
to take a product that was purely
Chinese and over time develop through innovation a new
product that played an important part in day to day
life.
5- The Chinese
people should be proud of the part that
they played in the development of the west.
6- In the long term
Chinese export trade to the west
was very positive and led to significant innovation
there.
7- Even the most
traditional industry which had
existed for over 4000 years in China can lead to new
product and innovation.
8- Art, Design and
Industry often work together to
develop a societies economy. That is innovation in Art
and design can lead to substantial economic impact
even in the most traditional industry.
Today in many
peoples minds there is a win lose mentality when it comes to
discussing trade. That is if one side benefits the other must be
the loser. The early trade between China and Europe clearly shows
that both sides can benefit and that there are many unforeseen
positive developments that can occur through trade.
