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From Object to Concept: Global Consumption and the Transformation of Ming Porcelain
Ming porcelain is among the world’s finest cultural treasures. From ordinary household items to refined vessels for imperial use, porcelain became a dynamic force in domestic consumption in China and a valuable commodity in the export trade. In the modern era, it has reached unprecedented heights in art auctions and other avenues of global commerce. This book examines the impact of consumption on porcelain of the Ming period and its transformation into a foreign cultural icon. The book begins with an examination of ways in which porcelain was appreciated in Ming China, followed by a discussion of encounters with Ming porcelain in several global regions including Europe and the Americas. The book also looks at the invention of the phrase and concept of ‘the Ming vase’ in English-speaking cultures, and concludes with a history of the transformation of Ming porcelain into works of art.
- GenresHistory
228 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2013
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June 15, 2016
The British Museum's 2014 special exhibition on China's Ming Dynasty stands as a beacon for a large volume of recently published books on the Ming (and also reminds us of a good number we have already in our possession). One of the best of the former category is Stacey Pierson's brilliant little volume From Object to Concept on Ming Porcelain.
It is so unlike most of the other books one finds or has read on Ming porcelain, that I read the entire first chapter in the bookstore before I could bear to close it and approach the counter to purchase it. It was, in short, a page turner, and will prove to be for anyone with an interest in Chinese ceramics.
Pierson's short treatise on "The Movement of Chinese Ceramics: Appropriation in Global History" that appeared in a 2012 issue of the Journal of World History is one of the best summaries to date of the subject, and is an article I have recommended to dozens of students and trainee docents, but it is surpassed by From Object to Concept in its ability to summarize a complex topic in clear and concise terms while not forfeiting some extraordinary insights citing such examples as a dress worn by Victoria Beckham and the cover of Herge's The Blue Lotus. Right up front, readers must be told that this is not a history of Ming porcelain (for that turn to the British Museum's recent publication on the subject).
This thin book (165 pages + index) consists of only four chapters: Porcelain in Ming China, Ming Porcelain in the World, Porcelain as Metaphor, and Ming Porcelain in the Art World. The first two chapters cover historical tracks, but the latter two break new ground discussing the emergence of the concept of the 'Ming vase' and how our knowledge and collecting of Ming ceramics has grown and changed over the years as Chinese texts have been translated (and sometimes defrauded), archaeological sites excavated, and new and old collections re-examined.
In short, a fascinating read, perhaps more of interest to those with a background in the subject, but hopefully spawning an interest in the subject amongst new readers as well. This book will go to the top of my recommended reading list on how to approach and understand the fascinating subject of Ming porcelain.
It is so unlike most of the other books one finds or has read on Ming porcelain, that I read the entire first chapter in the bookstore before I could bear to close it and approach the counter to purchase it. It was, in short, a page turner, and will prove to be for anyone with an interest in Chinese ceramics.
Pierson's short treatise on "The Movement of Chinese Ceramics: Appropriation in Global History" that appeared in a 2012 issue of the Journal of World History is one of the best summaries to date of the subject, and is an article I have recommended to dozens of students and trainee docents, but it is surpassed by From Object to Concept in its ability to summarize a complex topic in clear and concise terms while not forfeiting some extraordinary insights citing such examples as a dress worn by Victoria Beckham and the cover of Herge's The Blue Lotus. Right up front, readers must be told that this is not a history of Ming porcelain (for that turn to the British Museum's recent publication on the subject).
This thin book (165 pages + index) consists of only four chapters: Porcelain in Ming China, Ming Porcelain in the World, Porcelain as Metaphor, and Ming Porcelain in the Art World. The first two chapters cover historical tracks, but the latter two break new ground discussing the emergence of the concept of the 'Ming vase' and how our knowledge and collecting of Ming ceramics has grown and changed over the years as Chinese texts have been translated (and sometimes defrauded), archaeological sites excavated, and new and old collections re-examined.
In short, a fascinating read, perhaps more of interest to those with a background in the subject, but hopefully spawning an interest in the subject amongst new readers as well. This book will go to the top of my recommended reading list on how to approach and understand the fascinating subject of Ming porcelain.
Displaying 1 of 1 review