At St. Petersburg the imitation of the over-decorated hard paste of Sèvres has been abandoned in favour of the soft and harmonious colours and the pure and limpid glazes of Copenhagen. The vases with designs of white paste, in relief upon coloured grounds, in a manner now little in favour at Sèvres, are less happy. At the Kousnetzoff factory, at Moscow, a polychrome decoration, in imitation of Byzantine embroideries and enamels, has been applied to tea-services of somewhat geometrical forms, while the French porcelain of the time of Louis Philippe continues to be imitated.
At Copenhagen, says M. Garnier, the new porcelain, which since its introduction in 1889 has been praised and exalted in all the art journals of Europe, is still produced on the same lines. Not to speak of the new and strange results already obtained from coloured and enamelled glazes, greater experience in the use of the extended palette at the command of the decorator has produced results in which we find an admirable delicacy and restraint. It was, however, from Sèvres that the impulse first came. We can trace it in the work turned out of late years by Messrs. Bing and Gröndhal. But in place of the amiable and gracious art of France we find here a severe, sometimes we might almost say a rude, style, but one not without character and elevation.
At Rörstrand, near Stockholm (see above, p. 388), the work still continues on the lines of the older porcelain of Copenhagen (i.e. in the style in favour ten or twelve years ago), with the same simplicity and charm in the decoration and delicacy in the modelled relief. Perhaps we may attribute to a special quality in the felspar of the north the pure and refined quality so noticeable in the pastes and glazes.
At Rozenburg, continues M. Garnier, a factory already well known for its fayence, a very original kind of porcelain has lately been made. The composition of the paste, though based on kaolin, presents some peculiarities. The ware is of an incredible thinness and lightness, and the strange decoration, based in part upon Japanese motives, is not without charm and originality. The shapes of the vases, however, go too far in the direction of eccentricity. (Cf. p. 389.)
As at Meissen, so in the porcelain now made in Italy there is a total absence of all personality and novelty, and the old, well-beaten road is still followed. At Florence this is carried so far that the old moulds acquired so many years ago from the Capo di Monte works are still in use. ‘Ce sont des choses,’ says M. Garnier, ‘qui prêtent trop au “truquage” et qu’il faut laisser aux fabricants de vieuxneuf.’
EXPLANATION OF THE MARKS ON THE FOLLOWING PLATES (A. TO E.)
CHINESE MARKS
1. Ta Ming Yung-lo, 1402-1424. Mark of Yung-lo, engraved under the glaze in early seal or ‘tadpole’ characters.
2. Ta Ming Hsuan-te nien chi, 1425-1435.
3. Cheng-hua nien chi, 1464-1487.
4. Ta Ming Cheng-te nien chi, 1505-1521.
5. Ta Ming Kia-Tsing nien chi, 1521-1566.
6. Ta Ming Lung-king nien chi, 1566-1572.
7. Ta Ming Wan-li nien chi, 1572-1619.
8. Ta Tsing Kang-he nien chi, 1661-1722.
9. Ta Tsing Yung-cheng nien chi, 1722-1735.
10. Do. do., in seal characters.
11. Ta Tsing Kien-lung nien chi, 1735-1795. Seal characters.
12. Ta Tsing Kia-king nien chi, 1795-1820. Seal characters.
13. Ta Tsing Tao-kwang nien chi, 1820-1850. Seal characters.
14. Ta Tsing Tung-chi nien chi, 1861-1874. Seal characters.
15. Wan chang shan tu. ‘Scholarship lofty as the Hills and the Great Bear.’
16. Ki yuh pao ting chi chin. ‘A gem among precious vessels of rare jade.’
17. Shun-ti tang chi. ‘Made at the Shun-ti (cultivation of virtue) Hall.’
18. Tsae chuan chi lo. ‘Enjoying themselves in the waters.’
19. Conventionalised seal character for Sho—longevity.
19A. Fu, a bat, a synonym of fu—happiness.
JAPANESE MARKS
20. Kai-raku yen sei. ‘Made at the Kai-raku house.’
21. Ken-zan. The maker’s name.
22. Yei-raku. The seal granted to Zengoro. Seal character.
23. Fuku. Happiness. (Chinese, Fu.) Seal character.
24. Hopin chi liu. (Japanese, Ka hin shi riu). See p. 199 note.
GERMAN MARKS
25. Meissen. The rod of Æsculapius.
26. Meissen. Monogram of Augustus ii., King of Poland.
27. Meissen. Crossed swords and letter (for painter or director).
28. Vienna. The shield of Austria.
29. Höchst. The wheel of the Mainz archbishops, surmounted by a cross.
30. Fürstenberg. The initial letter of the town.
31. Berlin. The sceptre carried by the Brandenburg elector as grand chamberlain of the empire.
32. Frankenthal. Crowned lion of the palatinate; the monogram J. A. H., probably for Joseph Adam Hannong.
33. Frankenthal. The monogram of Karl Theodor, surmounted by a crown.
34. Nymphenburg. Quarter of shield with arms of Bavaria.
35. Ludwigsburg. Arms of Würtemberg. Three stag horns.
36. Ludwigsburg. Monogram of Duke Charles, surmounted by ducal crown.
37. Fulda. Double F, for ‘Fürstliche Fuldaische.’
38. Fulda. Cross from the arms of the prince bishop.
39. Herend. Below—the arms of Hungary.
DUTCH, DANISH, SWEDISH, AND RUSSIAN MARKS
40. Weesp. Crossed swords and three dots. Similar mark used elsewhere.
41. Oude Loosdrecht. The ‘M:’ stands for manufactuur.’
42. The Hague. The arms of the town.
43. Copenhagen. The wavy lines represent the ‘three Belts.’
44. Sweden; Marieberg. The three crowns from the arms of Sweden.
45. Moscow. St. George surrounded by band, with inscription. Above, the Russian eagle.
46. St. Petersburg. Monogram of Catherine ii. (Ekaterina).
BELGIAN AND SWISS MARKS
47. Tournay. A tower, the arms of the town.
48. Tournay. Crossed swords and four crosses.
49. Zurich. German Z and two dots.
50. Nyon. A fish.
FRENCH MARKS
51. Saint-Cloud. The sun, emblem of Louis xiv.
52. Saint-Cloud. Initials of town and of director of factory—Trou.
53. Chantilly. A hunter’s horn.
54. Mennecy. D. V., for the Duc de Villeroy.
55. Vincennes. The initials of Louis xv. crossed, without year-mark.
56. Vincennes. Initials of Louis xv.; year-mark for 1753, and decorator’s mark (H.).
57. Sèvres. Time of First Empire. The 7 stands for 1807.
58. Sèvres. Double C, enclosing X, for Charles x. 24 for 1824.
59. Paris; Courtille. Two crossed arrows.
60. Orleans (?). Label with three points from ducal arms.
61. Paris; Clignancourt. The windmill of Montmartre.
62. Paris; Rue Thiroux. A, for Marie Antoinette, under a crown.
ITALIAN AND SPANISH MARKS
63. Venice. Incised. Probably of Vezzi family.
64. Venice. Anchor of Cozzi factory.
65. Le Nove. Star of eight points.
66. Vinovo. Cross of Savoy above letter V, for the town.
67. Madrid, Buen Retiro. The fleur-de-lis from the royal arms.
ENGLISH MARKS
68. Chelsea. Triangle, incised.
69. Chelsea. Anchor, in relief.
70. Chelsea. Anchor.
71. Bow. Anchor and dagger.
72. Bow. Monogram of Thomas Frye. (?) Perhaps sometimes a Worcester mark.
73. Chelsea-Derby. Anchor and letter D.
74. Derby. Jewelled crown, crossed batons, with dots and letter D.
75. Derby. Jewelled crown and letter D.
76. Worcester. Imitation of Chinese characters.
77. Worcester. Crescent.
78. Worcester. Imitation Chinese seal character.
79. Worcester. Crossed swords and number.
80. Swansea. Trident.
81. Longton Hall. Crossed L’s and dots.
82. Plymouth. The symbol for tin.
83. Bristol. Symbol for tin, with a cross.
84. Bristol. Crossed swords, erased.
