Art Institute of Chicago

Dish with Flowers, Buddhist Emblems, Waves, Coral, and Clouds

China

Date

Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi period (1662–1722)

Medium

Porcelain painted in underglaze blue and polychrome enamels

Culture

China

Department

Arts of Asia

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This porcelain plate is a piece of “Chinese Imari” ware, made to imitate a popular Japanese style produced in Arita. Characterized by vibrant overglaze decoration in red, blue, and gold, Imari ware was initially exported from Japan through the Dutch East India Company in the 1600s. As Japanese exports declined in the early 1700s, Chinese kilns, including Jingdezhen, adapted the style for the export market. Chinese Imari wares quickly gained favor in Europe, eventually surpassing their Japanese prototypes in both popularity and scale of production. Rather than the floral motifs common on Japanese Imari wares, this dish features clams and seashells.

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