MING!

The Ming Dynasty (1368 1644) is regarded as one of the most glorious in Chinese history especially in regards to porcelain. Ming denotes the finest and most precious porcelain, which regularly achieves astronomical prices at auctions. The Ming vase is a popular cliche even for those who are not familiar with the history of Chinese ceramics. This publication unveils the Ming myth, by presenting the internationally recognised collection of Chinese ceramics at the Dutch Ceramics Museum Princessehof. It comprises spectacular items of the highest quality, which were created exclusively for the Chinese imperial court. The rich and varied inventory of Chinese export ceramics for the Southeast Asian market, primarily from the former Dutch colony of Indonesia, is presented here in context for the first time. The founding of the Dutch East India Company VOC1602 also finally opened up the European market for Ming porcelain. Most significantly the blue and white Kraak porcelain, which was an exotic decorative luxury in wealthy households and features prominently in Dutch still lifes of that era.

About the Author

Eva Strober read Chinese Studies, East Asian art history, philosophy and comparative religion in Germany and Taiwan and received her PhD on late Qing Buddhism. After years teaching and travelling she worked as curator for East Asian porcelain at the Porcelain Collection in Dresden, Germany. She is currently the curator of Asian ceramics at the Ceramics Museum Princessehof in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. Strober has written numerous articles, books and exhibition catalogues on East Asian art. The range of publications include the catalogue of the Dresden porcelain collection 'La Maladie de porcelain...: East Asian Porcelain in the Collection of Augustus the Strong' (Leipzig 2001) and 'Symbols of Chinese Porcelain: Ten Thousand Times Happiness (Stuttgart, Arnoldsche 2011).