Kangxi Porcelain: Grandeur and Revival of an Empire

The Glorious Qing Dynasty Porcelain: Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong

Suppose you've ever explored the royal collections in European museums or visited the Asian art galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the British Museum, or the Victoria and Albert Museum. In that case, you’ve likely been awestruck by the stunning and elegant Qing dynasty porcelain from the reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong.

In the vast world of antique collecting, Chinese porcelain from the Qing dynasty’s three major reigns stands as a shining jewel, captivating collectors worldwide. During these three reigns—Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong—the country experienced political stability, economic prosperity, and cultural flourishing. The porcelain production reached unprecedented heights, resulting in pieces that not only carry immense artistic value but also serve as extraordinary collectibles.

The Rise of Porcelain Craftsmanship

Following the destruction during the Ming dynasty’s final years, the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln factory ceased its operations. However, in the 19th year of the Kangxi reign (1680), production was revived. Emperor Kangxi’s success in quelling the Three Feudatories Rebellion and unifying China set the stage for a new era of artistic and industrial growth. Kangxi placed great emphasis on the development of handicrafts, stating that “the prosperity of one industry leads to the prosperity of all,” which laid the groundwork for the revival of porcelain craftsmanship.

Diverse Shapes and Exceptional Designs

Porcelain from the Kangxi period came in a variety of sizes and shapes, from large vessels to small, delicate vessels, with a wide range of designs. Notable shapes include the mallet vase, Guanyin vase, phoenix tail vase, and general jar, each of which showcases the diversity and craftsmanship of the period.

An Explosion of Colors and Patterns

The porcelain of the Kangxi period was extremely diverse in style and color. The most famous types include blue and white, five-color, Langyao red, Douban red, enamel, and pastel. Among them, blue and white and five-color porcelain reached the peak of porcelain making. The firing of enamel and pastel is of great significance both to the development of Chinese ceramics and to the history of Chinese art. They represent the two peaks of Chinese ceramics and greatly enriched the expression of ceramics.

Artistic Styles That Pushed Boundaries

The designs of this period were as varied as the porcelain types themselves. Traditional motifs like dragons, phoenixes, figures, landscapes, and flowers were common, but the period also saw the inclusion of unique designs inspired by ancient bronze vessels and antiquarian imagery. The blending of realistic depiction and artistic painting elevated these pieces to a new level of artistic excellence, making them not only decorative objects but also valuable art forms in their own right

A Legacy Preserved

The legacy of Qing dynasty porcelain art continues to fascinate the world. Porcelain pieces from the Kangxi period are highly sought after by collectors and museums, with their exquisite designs and historical significance making them incomparable treasures and priceless.

以下图片来自故宫博物院（仅供教育用途）和纽约亚洲艺术中心，带您一窥这个非凡的时代。

The images below are from the Palace Museum (for educational purposes only) and the New York Asian Art Center, offering a glimpse into this remarkable era.

Alum red painted gold-painted cloud dragon pattern straight neck vase(collected by the Palace Museum), Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, height 42.2cm, diameter 4.2cm, foot diameter 12cm. The main pattern on the abdomen is a cloud dragon chasing pearl pattern. The dragon pattern is vigorous and fierce, the ring foot is decorated with white glaze, no signature.

The use of red painted gold to decorate porcelain was quite popular during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. The decoration on this object is elaborate and delicate, especially the dragon's expression is vividly portrayed.

Five-color gold-plated egret lotus pattern vase, 44cm high, 22.4cm in diameter, 14.2cm in foot diameter. The vase has an outward-slanting mouth, a long neck, sloping shoulders, a rounded belly, and an outward-slanting foot, resembling a phoenix tail, so it is also called a phoenix tail vase.

The whole body is made of white glaze, and the lotus pond pattern of mandarin ducks is painted in red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and gold. Lotus is often used as decoration for Ming and Qing porcelain. This vase is beautiful in shape and rich in color, especially the use of gold, which makes it look magnificent.

The Wucai Farming and Weaving Vase is 46.5cm high, 12.3cm in diameter, and 13.2cm in foot diameter. The bottle has a wash mouth, straight neck, folded shoulders, straight belly, and ring foot. It looks like a wooden mallet for pounding clothes, so it is commonly known as the "Mallet Vase".

The body of the bottle is painted with four groups of patterns, with Wucai painting of sericulture and rice as the two themes. Each group is painted with 6 people working outdoors, and two five-character poems are inscribed, depicting real and vivid scenes, and the vase is exquisitely made. There are double blue and white circles inside the foot and no signature. It is a realistic art masterpiece among the Kangxi Wucai.

Large blue and white vase with 10,000 "Shou" characters, Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, height 76.5cm, diameter 37.5cm, foot diameter 28cm.

The vase has an open mouth, short neck, straight belly, and ring foot. The Chinese character "Shou" is written in blue and white all over the vase, with a total of 10,000 "Shou" characters, which means "longevity". This vase was a gift from the Imperial Kiln Factory on the birthday of Emperor Kangxi.

In general, this type of porcelain is often decorated with "Shou" characters in combination with other patterns, but this vase is decorated with "Shou" characters all over the vase, and the design and writing are extremely exquisite（The porcelain vase is now in the collection of the Palace Museum）

Discover more of our Qing porcelain collection in person or online at New York Asian Art Center.欢迎亲临纽约亚洲文化艺术中心或浏览我们的网站，深入探索清代瓷器之美。