Timeless elegance: the evolution of imperial blue-and-white porcelain across centuries

Born from clay and refined in the kiln fire, with cobalt pigments tracing intricate patterns that penetrate the body of the ceramic, blue-and-white porcelain unfolds centuries of cultural heritage and artistic craftsmanship.

First taking shape during the Tang dynasty (618-907) and flourishing under Yuan rule (1271-1368), blue-and-white porcelain continued to develop through the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties, becoming one of the most extensively produced ceramic varieties in Chinese history. The technical innovations and stylistic developments not only charted breakthroughs in craftsmanship but also mirrored shifting aesthetic ideals and cultural exchanges, constituting a vivid microcosm of Chinese civilization rendered in cobalt blue.

On May 2, 2025, Christie’s Hong Kong will present Ravishing Blue : Imperial Porcelains From An Important Private Collection, a single-owner auction featuring three exquisite blue-and-white porcelains from the Yongle, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns. Spanning four centuries, the three treasures range from naturalistic landscapes to imperial symbols of power, narrating the heritage and evolution of blue-and-white porcelain in craftsmanship, techniques and artistic styles. These works, imbued with historical resonance, invite viewers to transcend time and space, bearing witness to the most radiant golden age of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain.

The Ming Dynasty stands as one of the most prosperous periods in the history of Chinese ceramic development. Its porcelain was renowned for its exquisite quality and displayed a rich diversity in styles. By the early Ming dynasty, blue and white porcelain was a staple item in imperial orders for porcelain from Jingdezhen. For example, the Court of Imperial Entertainments, in charge of catering for official functions, is recorded as making requests for plain white wares with blue dragon and phoenix decoration from the beginning of the Xuande reign (1426-35). The splendid blue and white meiping (below) was itself used in dining.

The meiping has a highly prestigious provenance, where it was handled by Eskenazi, one of the most prolific and respected dealers in Chinese art. It also formed part of the Chang Foundation Collection in Taipei, before entering an important Asian collection. It is painted with a scroll-like design of a garden landscape, with bamboo, plantain and rocks. The motif of the plantain can be traced back to the Tang dynasty, where it was frequently depicted alongside rocks, symbolizing the harmonious interplay between softness and hardness. This pairing, often integrated into garden settings, served to accompany scholarly figures and underscored the philosophical tenets of metaphysics. Over time, the plantain evolved from a secondary element into a primary subject. This shift is also evident in porcelain decoration, where the motif of bamboo, rock, and plantain gained prominence in the early 15th century. Their popularity stemmed from auspicious connotations associated with longevity, health, and peace, as well as their representations of loyalty and scholarly spirit.

A hallmark of Yongle blue-and-white porcelain emerges in the ‘heaped and piled’ effect. Cobalt has a tendency to run and blur into the underlying body, giving rise to the renowned ‘heaped and piled’ effect in which darker blotches of colour appear across painted areas. The effect can be seen in a few places in the garden scene, and also in the darker outlines round elements in the pattern bands. There are only two known comparable examples with covers in museums, one is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing; and the other is in the collection of the National Museum of China. The current meiping appears to be the only one of this type in private hands and is for the first time offered at auction.

The collapse of the Ming dynasty caused devastation at Jingdezhen, and for more than fifty years no imperial wares were manufactured. It was not until 1680 that the Emperor instigated an enquiry into the state of the pottery industry, and the rebuilding of the imperial factory, and this revival led to an unparalleled century of manufacture. During the Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns (1723-95), the imperial court not only pursued technical refinement, but developed a particular taste for items decorated in Ming dynasty styles.

The magnificent Yongzheng globular vase is a prime example that is clearly painted in the early 15th century style. Having been part of an American diplomat’s collection and subsequently sold at The American Art Association in 1912, the vase is painted in vivid shades of blue achieved in only the best imperial wares, with nine writhing three- and five-clawed dragons in pursuit of flaming pearls, interspersed with fire scrolls. Beneath them boils a choppy sea with waves, with a similar band repeated at the neck. The dragon scales shaded in various tones of blue, exemplifying the superb craftsmanship of the imperial kiln. Only one other similar tianqiuping is known, also decorated with nine dragons in a comparable style, arrangement and bears a six-character Yongzheng mark on the neck below the mouth rim, in the collection of the Tianjin Museum. It is highly plausible that the present vase and the Tianjin Museum vase were originally made as a pair.

The nine dragons, each with a distinct form, embody majestic might and solemn dignity. Their ferociously rendered heads symbolize the unquestionable authority of imperial power. The ‘Nine Dragons’ motif subtly corresponds to the auspicious number of nine, a numerical allusion to the emperor. Through this traditional decorative pattern, the awe-inspiring power of imperial rule is artfully crystallized in symbolic artistry.

The simulation of early Ming blue and white is also apparent in the splendid Qianlong mark and period vase decorated with peaches, a fine product of the imperial kiln (above). On this vessel, the strong, clear blue is deliberately concentrated in dark, splotchy patches across the design, in order to emulate Ming ‘heaped and piled’ effect.

The effect was a conscious decision to mimic Ming style, as was the choice of design. Five bats flit around a peach tree growing from rockwork amidst breaking waves. The branches of the peach tree spread wide to support nine juicy peaches among leaves and blossom. A scroll band with flower heads encircles the base, with above a band of ruyi heads. Round the faceted neck are further floral sprays. Five bats symbolize the number five, that is believed to be lucky and is associated with the Five Blessings. Peaches have long been associated with longevity. The numbers of peaches and bats is also significant, as ‘Ninety-five’ was historically associated with the Emperor in China, and the presence of breaking waves and mountainous rocks make another rebus fu ru dong hai, meaning ‘blessings as vast as the Eastern Sea’. In view of the inner meanings of these decorations, it is highly likely that the vase was made to honour one of Emperor Qianlong’s birthdays.

From the evidence of these three fine pieces – the meiping, bottle and vase – it is clear that imperial ceramics decorated in underglaze cobalt blue reached a peak of technical and artistic achievement in the early Ming period. Control over the tricky pigment became good enough to paint detailed scenes, in the manner of scroll paintings. Nevertheless, consequences such as ‘heaping and piling’ meant that control of colour was not perfect. Far from being viewed as a flaw, however, the effect was copied during the Qing dynasty reigns of Yongzheng and Qianlong as part of a conscious decision to emulate 15th century forms and decorations. This was but one of many examples that showed the importance of emulation of the past in Chinese history. Study and interpretation of the past are now recognized as persistent forces in the shaping of cultural identity in China from ancient times to the modern age. Furthermore, blue-and-white porcelain's dual nature as functional ware and cultural medium epitomizes the fundamental Chinese artistic philosophy of qi yi zai dao ( ‘vessels embody the way’), in which crafted artifacts transcend mere materiality to articulate spiritual ideals.