Plate (2) - Porcelain - 'Tobacco leaf'

Pair of porcelain plates, British East India Company, Qing Dynasty, circa 1790 – China

Material: Porcelain
Period: Qing Dynasty, 1790
Country of origin: China
Good condition for their age and use
Dimensions: 2 x 23.5 cm.

Exceptional pair of export porcelain plates of the Rose Family type from the Qianlong period (1736-1795). Rose Family is the name given in Europe to a certain type of Chinese porcelain, which from the 18th century included the color enamels in this palette alongside greens, yellows, reds and blues. Today, Rose Family porcelain pieces are highly valued for their beauty and fine decoration.

Rose Family is a style of Chinese porcelain that emerged at the end of the Qing Dynasty, specifically during the reign of the emperor Kangxi, around 1720, and reached its peak under the Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors. Although in China it is known as fencai (powder colors), since the pieces have a soft, matte appearance; it reached Europe as “Rose Family” in the 19th century through the French collector Albert Jacquemart. Rose Family porcelain included enamels of this color in the previous palette of greens, yellows, reds and blues. The key advance was Cassius purple, a pigment derived from colloidal gold invented in Europe in the 17th century. Jingdezhen imperial kilns’ artisans adapted this color to create the characteristic pink glaze.

In the Qianlong period (1736–1795) decoration became more exuberant and complex, where the “hundred flowers” design became popular, with enamels covering the entire surface of the piece. The most distinctive feature of this style is the use of pink derived from colloidal gold (Cassius purple), offering tones from soft carmine to pale pink.

It developed a realistic style thanks to the ability to mix colors, allowing representation of flowers, especially peonies, birds and insects with detailed botanical realism, as well as representations of court life and human figures with faces and garments meticulously shaded. Due to the density of enamels over the glaze, the motifs often have a slight relief perceptible to the touch.

This style was highly valued both at the imperial court and in the export market to Europe during the 19th century, which is why millions of pieces were produced in the 18th century exclusively for export through the East India Company. Today, these porcelain pieces are highly valued for their beauty and fine decoration.

The British East India Company (1599-1874)

The British East India Company was founded in 1599 by English merchants to trade with the East Indies, breaking the Dutch monopoly on spice trade. In 1600, it received a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I granting it a commercial monopoly with that region for 15 years.

Over time, it became a joint-stock company dominated by wealthy merchants and aristocrats, and although the British government did not hold shares, it exerted indirect control. The company came to control half of world trade, especially commodities such as cotton, tea, silk, opium and salt.

In 1702, it merged with a rival company and became a major commercial and territorial power in India, with its own army and governmental functions. Its effective control in India began in 1757 and ended in 1858, when, after a rebellion, the Crown took direct control through the Government of India Act. Finally, due to financial problems and political changes, the Company was dissolved in 1874, and its functions were absorbed by the British government.

It was created primarily to trade with the East Indies, especially India and China. It traded in commodities such as spices, tea, silk, cotton, salt, opium… It came to control certain territories in India, acting as a kind of private government, with its own armies, laws and administrative system, which allowed it to play a key role in the expansion of the British Empire in Asia.

Although its main function was not artistic, the Company had an important impact on art, primarily indirectly, as it sponsored artworks, fostered the fusion of European techniques and Eastern styles, and promoted the export of art, textiles and exotic objects that influenced European fashion and design of the era.

The shipment of the product will be paid by the buyer according to the dimensions, weight and destination. Shipping costs include professional, custom-made packaging; and personalized shipping, with tracking number and warranty.

The buyer will be responsible for paying import duties and associated taxes in the destination country, if any. Please note the seller’s disclaimer regarding potential customs charges, as they are charged in the destination country and the amount payable is determined by that country’s customs. If an export permit is required, the costs are borne by the buyer. The cost progressively depends on the value of the work being exported.