Why was porcelain important in Europe?
In the late 17th century, “porcelain fever” broke out in Europe. Princes and wealthy merchants were consumed by the passion to collect and use Asian porcelain. Imported porcelain from China and Japan was expensive and was perceived as a tangible sign of prestige and taste.
How did porcelain change people’s lives?
With its toughness, thinner, lighter, more-elegant shapes, durability, and easy-clean glassy finish, porcelain was instantly accepted by people as the better alternative to pottery, and quickly improved people's lives, especially eating and drinking.
When was porcelain used in Europe?
The first European soft-paste porcelain was made in Florence about 1575 at workshops under the patronage of Francesco I de' Medici, but it was not until the late 17th and 18th centuries that it was produced in quantity.
Why is the porcelain important?
Since the Han and Tang Dynasties, porcelain has been exported worldwide. It promotes economic and cultural exchange between China and the outside world, and profoundly influences the traditional culture and lifestyle of people from other countries.
How did porcelain spread to the rest of the world?
Porcelain was introduced by the Arabs into Spain where it formed the basis of Hispano-Moresque ware. From there it spread into Italy and formed the basis of Italian majolica. In the 14th century the muslim potters fled from Catholic Spain to southern France where they made tin-glaze wares, the earliest French majolica.
Why was porcelain created?
The Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220) It is thought that the first porcelain was made by firing the ceramic materials to the necessary temperature. By so doing, they made a kind of light but strong ceramic that was preferable for artistic and decorative purposes, and it has been in high demand ever since.
What properties made porcelain so appealing to European collectors?
Porcelain was white gold, valued for both its durability and its delicacy, and also prized for its exotic origins. Marco Polo first brought it to Europe, from China, in the fourteenth century: a small gray-green jar amid his bounty of silk brocades, spices, and vials of musky scents.
How did Chinese porcelain influence the ceramics of other countries?
Chinese porcelain influenced the ceramics of importing countries, and was in turn, influenced by them. For example, importers commissioned certain shapes and designs, and many more were developed specifically for foreign markets; these often found their way in to the repertory of Chinese domestic items.
How did porcelain reach Europe?
Marco Polo first brought it to Europe, from China, in the fourteenth century: a small gray-green jar amid his bounty of silk brocades, spices, and vials of musky scents. Polo called it porcellana. It's a nickname in Italian for the cowry shell, whose shiny, white surface porcelain resembles.
Why was porcelain important in the Tang Dynasty?
1 Introduction. The Tang Dynasty (618–907 A.D.) was a prosperous time of social development in ancient China, when the porcelain-making industry advanced rapidly. The porcelain made in that period was known for its great variety, varicolored glazes, and multiple vessel shapes.
Why was porcelain traded on the Silk Road?
Porcelain Porcelain was another product that was prized in the West. The popularity of porcelain even surpassed that of silk in the latter times of Silk Road trade. Silk exports began to decline at the end of the Tang Dynasty (618–907) as silk making techniques spread to central and southern Asia and Europe.
Why was porcelain important in trade?
Porcelain was prized for its strength, translucence, and its pure white color. Porcelain was so associated with its origin, that this expensive and important ceramic came to be known simply as “china,” “fine china,” or “china ware."