Amazing Chinoiserie: Chinese Export Porcelain Exhibition from the 17th to the 18th Century

In the 17th and 18th centuries, as maritime trade flourished, a powerful wave of “Chinoiserie” swept across Europe. Amid this Western fascination with the arts of the East, Chinese porcelains remained one of the principal commodities in Sino-Western trade.

Export porcelain of the Ming and Qing dynasties exerted a profound influence on European social life, from home décor, dining culture, daily utilities, religious practice, to artistic design and even the birth and development of Europe’s own porcelain industry. Chinese porcelain became coveted treasures eagerly pursued by Western collectors.

Porcelain exported to the West during the Ming and Qing dynasties ranged from pieces featuring traditional Chinese motifs and forms, to designs tailored for Western tastes, including customized armorial porcelain that proclaimed the prestige of its owners. These diverse “Made in China” creations reveal not only the dynamics of Sino-Western trade but also the exchanges between different peoples, civilizations, and artistic cultures. This exhibition features 175 exemplary pieces of Chinese export porcelain from the 17th to the 18th century from the Museum’s collection, showcasing the remarkable craftsmanship of China’s porcelain industry and the dialogue between East and West shaped through centuries of maritime trade.

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