NANKING PORCELAIN

Chinese blue-and-white porcelain made for export during the Ch'ing dynasty (especially in the reign of K'ang-hsi, 16611722) at Ching-te-chen and shipped to Europe in great quantity from the port of Nanking. It came to be known by this term among Western dealers in the 19th century. Though the porcelain was made for export, the shapes and decoration were mostly traditional Chinese. English potters extensively copied and adapted Nanking decoration. Nanking porcelain varied in quality, the glaze becoming increasingly gray and the decoration rudimentary. Much of the polychrome porcelain known as Canton ware was actually produced in white at Nanking and sent to Canton for painting.