Chinese Ceramics of the Transitional Period: 1620-1683
过渡期的中国陶瓷：1620至1683年

The beginning of the transitional period of Chinese ceramics between the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties in the seventeenth century was marked by the death of the Ming Wanli Emperor in 1620 and ended with the arrival of Zang Yingxuan, an imperial supervisor appointed by the Kangxi emperor to the Jingdezhen kiln in 1683. During the sixty-three years of chaotic transition, Jingdezhen, the most important ceramics production center in China from the Ming dynasty, lost its imperial patronage as the Ming empire declined and the Manchus gradually usurped power. Potters were forced to pursue new patrons and experiment with ceramic styles, techniques, and designs. Jingdezhen miraculously recovered from almost total destruction by the wars and continues to be a major center for ceramic production in China today. Featuring fifty-five items from this seminal period the exhibition included some of the most typical transitional ceramics, including blue-and-white porcelain, monochrome-glazed, and enameled wares.