Blue & White Forever!

"Anemones and Chinese Vase"
Oil on canvas, 23 5/8 x 36 1/4
Henri Matisse, 1922

Among the small handful of things that I would count as truly timeless, one rises to the top: blue and white porcelain. The Chinese invented porcelain as long ago as the 700's, but they managed to keep the formula secret for over a thousand years. Europeans probably saw their first porcelain when Marco Polo brought some back to Venice after visiting Kublai Kahn. And the fascination began! Blue and white porcelain has always had a hint of the exotic, and has been widely sought after. No wonder that artists have portrayed it in their still life paintings ever since the Renaissance.

"Still Life with Chinese Porcelain Jar"
Willem Kalf, 1669

I love to look at paintings of blue and white porcelain, and consider the vastly different approaches to painting it. From the finely detailed works of Dutch masters, to more whimsical depictions by Matisse and other moderns, there much to delight the eye. And of course the scholarship on blue and white porcelain is limitless. I have read that the vase depicted by Matisse in the top image is "underglaze blue with figures in a landscape, possibly of the Kanji period" (that's 1622-1722).*  How it can be identified so precisely is something of a mystery to me. But it's nice to look at, and it's the first place my eye goes in this painting.

"Lady at the Tea Table"
Oil on Canvas, 29 x 24
Mary Cassatt, 1883-85

Sometimes porcelain is the main player in these paintings, and other times it is a supporting actor. Just above is an example of blue and white as a strong supporting actor: a portrait by Mary Cassatt, depicting her cousin serving tea. The tea set is of Nanking Ware, probably from the late 1700's. They say that it was probably a cherished family heirloom. Very appropriate for inclusion in a family portrait, wouldn't you say?

"Still Life with Melon"
Oil on Canvas, 20 7/8 x 28 3/4
Claude Monet, 1872

Nowadays blue and white wares are widely reproduced. Some reproductions look cheap, but others can be very convincing. I have both types in my studio to use as props. And one or two true antique pieces. There's no substitute for the real thing! The coloration of the antique pieces is truly inimitable--and fun to paint. 

"Chinese Pots"
Oil on Canvas, 11 x 14
(c) Erin Gafill

I'm closing with paintings by some of my favorite contemporary still life painters, and one of my own. Enjoy!

"Silvery Light"
Oil on Linen Board, 10 x 8
(c) Marjorie Hicks

"Orchids, In Full Swing"
Oil on Board, 24 x 18
(c) Lesley Powell, 2019
Available at Huff Harrington Fine Art

*Identification of particular porcelain depicted in paintings is from Blue & White China Origins and Western Influences, ed. John Esten, c. 1987.