Four Centuries of Blue and White: The Frelinghuysen Collection of Chinese & Japanese Export Porcelain

The Frelinghuysen collection of Chinese and Japanese export porcelain is the first major publication to consider Chinese and Japanese blue and white together. It features over 300 pieces and is divided into thematic chapters that reflect the many ways Chinese and Japanese porcelain has been traded, collected, and lived with around the world. Essays by William R. Sargent and Angela Howard precede the thirteen chapters, which cover areas of little recent scholarship, such as the Thai market material.

Format: Hardback
Length: 432 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Paul Holberton Publishing Ltd

This magnificent and meticulously researched book showcases the remarkable Frelinghuysen collection of Chinese and Japanese export porcelain. It stands as the inaugural significant publication to explore the captivating world of Chinese and Japanese blue and white ceramics together. This extraordinary collection, meticulously assembled over a span of fifty years, boasts an incredibly diverse array of Asian blue and white porcelain, the most ubiquitous and influential ceramic genre. Spanning from Chinese pieces specially crafted for Portuguese traders in the 16th century to late 19th-century commissions for the Thai royal court, the collection also features numerous Chinese classics from the era of European trading companies and a notable selection of Japanese export porcelain. In its expansive scope, the collection sheds light on the multifaceted impulses and historical forces that drove the trade in Asian porcelain, offering a valuable lens through which to observe the interplay of East and West from the early modern age to the dawn of the 20th century.

More than 300 pieces from this remarkable collection are presented in full detail, with an additional 250 illustrated in a comprehensive compendium. These pieces are organized into thirteen thematic chapters that reflect the diverse ways in which Chinese and Japanese porcelain has been traded, collected, and cherished across the globe. Preceding these chapters are insightful essays by William R. Sargent, former Curator of Asian Export Art at the prestigious Peabody Essex Museum, and renowned authority on armorial porcelain, Angela Howard. The thirteen chapters, titled "Faith," "Identity," "For the Table," "To European Design," "Made in Japan," among others, delve into the profound significance and cultural impact of Chinese and Japanese porcelain.

Within this collection, one can encounter great rarities alongside small, delightful pieces, as well as numerous export porcelains designed to enhance and elevate everyday practices. The unwavering focus on blue and white porcelain in the collection intensifies our appreciation for forms, patterns, and designs, bringing together a remarkable assemblage of wares that showcase the artistry and craftsmanship of both Chinese and Japanese ceramic traditions.

Dimension: 280 x 245 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781915401090