Identifying Chinese Kangxi Porcelain | Asian History

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Looking at Chinese porcelain.

The Kangxi Period (1662-1722)A Primer

THE KANGXI EMPEROR

• Father Shunzhi (a Manchu) first Qing dynasty emperor, died age 22• Kangxi Born 1654• Second Qing Dynasty emperor• Ascended to the throne age 7, assumed power formally age 13.• Instrumental in unifying China following the end of the Ming Dynasty.• First Chinese leader to play a western instrument, a Spinet• Appointed Christian Jesuits to run the imperial observatory• 35 sons and 20 daughters, many died before the age of 3.• China’s longest living ruler.• Encouraged foreign trade and relations with numerous countries.• Patron of Arts and Letters, a time of scholarly encouragement.• Died as one of China’s most important and most admired emperors.

*Revived the kilns at Jingdezhen after decades of neglect and wars.

KANGXI PORCELAIN

Most made at Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China.Favored Glazes• Underglaze cobalt blue• Underglaze cobalt blue and copper red• Copper red monochromes• “Famille Verte” or Wucai, five colors• Powder blue• Sancai-Susancai, three colors on biscuit wares• “Famille Jaune and “Famille Noire”• Paste, superbly well refined, noted for resulting• In extremely smooth snow white feet.• 1683 Zung Yingxuan appointed Imperial factory director.

Curiously official or Imperial wares meant for court use were at times often indistinguishable from high quality non-court porcelains.

KANGXI PORCELAIN

Cobalt Blue Porcelain, Mohammedan Blue• Originally imported from Persia during Yuan dynasty• Later mixed with superior cobalt discovered in China.• Milk white pure glazes. • Millions of pieces were sold globally exported on ships.• Very few examples before 1682 had reign marks.

KANGXI PORCELAIN Famille Verte or “Wucai”, Famille Noire, Famille Jaune• Five enamel colors; red, yellow, green, aubergine, blue.• Replaced under glaze blue with over glaze enamel blue.• The green enamels come in three shades.• Finest quality made after 1683• Often notable for thick white glaze before decorating.• Colors usually outlined in black.• Occasionally gilt highlights fired in muffle kiln.• 19th C. Albert Jaquemart coined the term Famille Verte• “Famille Jaune” dominant yellow, “Famille Noire” dominant black.

KANGXI PORCELAIN

Copper Red Wares, Copper Oxide glazes• This pigment (like Cobalt), originated in Persia as green enamel.• When fired properly it can turn to a wide range of reds & greens.• Perfected originally in the Ming Dynasty15th C., then forgotten.• Revived under Kangxi reign.• Colors can range from deep red to pink to green.• Color names “Langyao”, “Peach bloom (red bean)”, “Liver red”, “Sang de bouf” and a few others less well known.

KANGXI PORCELAIN

Sancai or Susancai, Three Color Glaze• Developed originally during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD)• Generally comprises amber-yellow, green and browns.• Generally applied to: Figurines, bowls-dishes, table objects and

vases.• Generally applied on unglazed porcelain known as Biscuit.

KANGXI PORCELAIN

Pale Blue Glaze,• Generally applied to smaller Scholar’s Objects.• Many if not most are reign marked.• Many follow the forms found in copper red glazed

objects. Also double gourd and meiping shapes.• All are generally very rare and of fine quality. NOTE: The “apple form” Water Pot (on right) are the rarest of all forms.

KANGXI PORCELAIN (ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES)

“Peach Bloom” and copper red Lotus blossom or “chrysanthemum” vases

Base with Kangxi mark






















Underglaze blue and red blossom cup


Yellow enamel and under glaze blue Cup & Plate Stand


Yellow enamel Cup, Bowls and Covered Jar

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Identifying Chinese Kangxi Porcelain | Asian History

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