The coat of arms on this ewer is probably that of the Portuguese family of Peixoto. Antonio Peixoto, together with some business partners, sailed round the China coast in a junk laden with hides and other goods. He probably bought this ewer during that trip and had it mounted in Persia on the return journey. This seems likely because the silver mounts were made at about the same time as the porcelain.
Physical description
The coat of arms on this ewer is probably that of the Portuguese family of Peixoto. Antonio Peixoto, together with some business partners sailed round the China coast in a junk laden with hides and other commodities. He probably purchased this ewer during that trip, and had it mounted in Persia on the return journey, because the silver mounts were made at about the same time as the porcelain.
Place of Origin
Jingdezhen, China (made)
Date
1522-1566 (made)
Materials and Techniques
Porcelain painted in underglaze blue, with engraved silver cover and spout
Marks and inscriptions
'da ming Jiajing nian zhi' in underglaze blue on base
Dimensions
Height: 33.3 cm, Width: 23.0 cm
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Clunas, Craig (ed.) Chinese Export Art and Design. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1987, figure 12.
Liefkes, Reino and Hilary Young (eds.) Masterpieces of World Ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: V&A Publishing, 2008, pp. 68-69.
Masterpieces entry
This splendid ewer is one of the earliest pieces of Chinese porcelain made for a European customer. Having no familiarity with European vessel shapes, the potter has used a design then being made for the export to the Middle East. It bears the arms of the Peixoto family of Portugal and must have been commissioned by Antonio Peixoto, a navigator and merchant who reached the southern Chinese port of Canton in 1542. Refused entry to Canton, he went on to trade off the south China coast and became one of the first Portuguese to reach Japan. The Portuguese dominated the European trade in Chinese porcelain during the sixteenth century, when they were also a major supplier of Chinese wares to the Middle East. The silver mounts are contemporary with the porcelain and must have been added in Iran on Peixoto's return journey from China.
Jingdezhen potters had no experience in painting coats of arms, though they seem to have risen to the challenge very competently. The 'Great Ming' mentioned in the painted mark on the base refers to both the ruling dynasty and the country of China itself. The Jingdezhen potters evidently wanted to make it clear to their foreign customer that this fine porcelain ewer was made under the Emperor Jiajing in the great country called 'Ming' (although no one in Europe could read Chinese and few could been concerned about its date of manufacture).
Labels and date
The Peixoto Ewer
China, Jingdezhen
Ming dynasty, 1522–66
This is one of the earliest pieces of Chinese porcelain made for a European. The design includes the arms of the Portuguese merchant Antonio Peixoto, who first reached
China in 1542. This type of ewer was originally made for the Middle Eastern market, to which Portuguese traders sold porcelain. The contemporary Iranian mounts may have been added on Peixoto’s return journey.
Porcelain, painted before glazing, with Iranian silver mounts. Mark: ‘Made in the Jiajing reign period of Great Ming’
Museum no. C.222-1931
W.G. Gulland Bequest [September 2009]
Materials
Porcelain
Techniques
Blue and white
Categories
Porcelain; Ceramics; Food vessels & Tableware
Collection code
FEC
