When I was in my twenties, I caught a disease from a dear friend, called Blueandwhitewareadosis! Yes, like so many aesthetes throughout the centuries, I became enamored endlessly by Chinese blue and white. I had resisted, but once you catch the bug, it's all over. You must succumb! Every time I go to Market, I buy at least one piece, slowly amassing a collection from huge vases to pool-side melamine to salt shakers, textiles, and everything in between.
The Timeless Appeal of Blue and White
Since the first traces of Blue and White porcelain came to Europe from China, it has been a status symbol of wealth and elegance. Today, it remains so, though it has become accessible to the masses. No other trend, not even blue jeans, transcends centuries and styles as consistently as Blue and White Ware. From contemporary to traditional, it fits in the Palace of Versailles, a rustic American cottage, or a modern steel-and-glass home. It was the height of style in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and is still lauded in high design catalogs and style magazines of the twenty-first century. From grandma's Blue Willow china to over-the-top jars in the Metropolitan Museum, Blue and White Ware fits in everyone’s home. It is eternal, omnipresent, and ubiquitous—but why?
Blue and White Ware was first brought to Europe as a very expensive import from the Orient. Displaying it showed wealth. The Dutch, some of the first importers, began to make copies of the Chinese porcelain, eventually creating Delftware, named after the Dutch city of Delft. Seventy percent of people report blue as their favorite color, which certainly helped blue transferware gain worldwide popularity. Many interior designers suggest an Asian motif in each room to balance Western styles. Ultimately, it’s simply popular because it’s beautiful and timeless.
One dealer I buy from still travels to China and works with many families. Creating Blue and White Ware is a family affair: parents may throw the pottery, grandparents and older children paint the figures, and young boys transport the work to market. Each pattern is like a coat of arms, unique to each family. Some patterns are abstract, some landscapes like the Canton pattern, some geometric, and some Dutch-inspired. No matter the form—old, new, shiny, or worn—all blue and white pieces blend beautifully with any interior. This collector never tires of Blue and White, and I hope my children's children will enjoy the pieces I have. History shows they will still look at home in the future.
Interestingly, Blue and White is created using Cobalt Oxide mixed with water to paint the designs. Cobalt, originally from Iraq, was worth twice its weight in gold centuries ago. The cobalt blue can withstand high firing temperatures and retain its color, unlike many other pigments.
#Blue #White #Ware #Porcelain #BlueAndWhiteWare
