River Scenes in Cobalt: An 18th-Century Chinese Export Porcelain Tankard

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River Scenes in Cobalt: An 18th-Century Chinese Export Porcelain Mug
Qianlong
Circa 1775

This charming Chinese Export porcelain tankard is … Read more River Scenes in Cobalt: An 18th-Century Chinese Export Porcelain Mug
Qianlong
Circa 1775

This charming Chinese Export porcelain tankard is a superb example of late 18th-century blue and white ware, distinguished by its heavily textured, molded "chicken-skin" (or granulated) ground.

Painted in a rich underglaze blue, the front of the tankard features a shaped, molded cartouche that serves as a window into a serene river landscape. The meticulously detailed scene includes waterside pavilions, a houseboat, a fisherman, and traditional willow trees. This central medallion is elegantly flanked by delicate, floating floral sprays. The piece is fitted with a classic double-entwined strap handle that is beautifully anchored to the body with applied, molded floral and fruit terminals. The design is framed by a dense floral border at the upper rim and a geometric band around the base.

Measurements:
Height: 4 7/8 inches (12.4 cm)
Width: 5 1/4 inches (13.3 cm)
Diameter: 3 3/4 inches (9.5 cm)

Provenance: Property from a Massachusetts Collection.

Historical Context: European Forms and "Chicken-Skin" Porcelain

During the height of the 18th-century China Trade, it was incredibly common for European and American merchants to send physical wooden, silver, or domestic ceramic models to Canton for Chinese potters to replicate. The double-entwined strap handle with its applied floral and berry terminals seen on this mug is a direct copy of popular European silver and creamware forms (often associated with English factories like Leeds or Staffordshire potteries).

What makes this specific piece stand out is the highly tactile "chicken-skin" ground. This stippled, granulated texture was a deliberate and labor-intensive technique applied to the porcelain body before firing. It not only provided a secure grip for a drinking vessel but also created a magnificent matte contrast against the smooth, brilliantly glazed cartouche framing the painted landscape. These romanticized, idealized river scenes perfectly satisfied the West's insatiable craving for exotic views of "Cathay," eventually laying the groundwork for the famous English "Willow Pattern."

(Ref: NY11081) See less