Re-evaluating the “Interregnum”: Textual, Archaeological, and Stylistic Evidence for Mid-15th Century Imperial Porcelains
The Annual Asian Art In London Lecture
Speaker: Dr. Chen Jie
Venue: Devonshire Gallery, Sotheby’s London, 34-35 New Bond Street, London W1A 2AA
Registration – A link will be provided to register for this. Members are encouraged to register as soon as possible as this event is open to the public and has limited capacity.
The imperial porcelain production of the mid-fifteenth century remains a fascinating and complex subject in the history of Ming ceramics. The reigns of Zhengtong (1436–1449), Jingtai (1450–1456), and Tianshun (1457–1464) have traditionally been described as an “interregnum” in the history of the Jingdezhen imperial kilns, a period whose production history and characteristics continue to invite further investigation.
This lecture reassesses the landscape of imperial porcelain production during the mid-fifteenth century by bringing together textual records, archaeological discoveries, and stylistic and technical analysis. Drawing on historical documents concerning court commissions and the organisation of imperial manufacture, it considers the operation of the imperial kilns during this period. It also examines archaeological discoveries from the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Site, particularly the excavations of 1988 and 2014, analysing their unearthed ceramics and stratigraphy to further explore questions concerning the dating of imperial porcelains. Stylistic and technical characteristics of the porcelains, together with contemporary visual sources, are also examined to shed further light on the chronological understanding of this period.
By integrating these diverse strands of evidence, this lecture seeks to offer new perspectives on our understanding of imperial porcelain production during one of the least understood periods of the fifteenth century.
This lecture is generously sponsored by an OCS member in association with Sotheby’s London.
Accessibility Information
For accessibility enquires contact
Image: Set of table services with dragons amid waves, excavated from the Imperial Kiln site (2014). Courtesy of the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum.
Speaker
-
Dr. Chen JieCurator, Ceramics Department, Shanghai MuseumDr. Chen Jie joined the Shanghai Museum in 2010 and currently serves as Deputy Head and Curator of the Ceramics Department. She specializes in the study and authentication of ancient Chinese ceramics, with research focusing on the Imperial Kiln system, export ceramics, and transcultural exchanges.
Integrating historical texts with technical archaeological evidence, Dr. Chen emphasizes direct fieldwork. Over the past 16 years, she has surveyed over 150 kiln sites across 23 provinces in China, and conducted extensive archaeological fieldwork and ceramic investigations in Japan, South Korea, Iran, the Philippines, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka. During her tenure, she has also curated a series of major museum exhibitions.
Author of over 40 scholarly publications, her recent research focuses particularly on the re-chronology of Early Ming imperial porcelains and porcelain as diplomatic gifts during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
