Miniature Teapot, Imari Chinese Porcelain, Compagnie Des Indes, 18th Century

Plant decoration with rooster, blue and red on a white background. Trace of old gilding on the lid grip and the pouring spout. Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795) From the late 18th century. Good condition. Dimensions: 10 x 6 cm H: 8 cm “In the middle of the 17th century, China experienced a period of political unrest due to the transition from the Ming dynasty to the Qing dynasty. As the production of export porcelain was considerably reduced, Europeans sought to find other supplier countries. The Dutch, who had a monopoly on trade with Japan, then began to import Japanese porcelain. This porcelain is characterized by a decoration using three colors: cobalt blue placed under glaze, iron red and gold both placed under glaze. It mainly has floral motifs and was called "Imari" from the name of the port on the island of Kyûshû from which it was exported. Once the Chinese resumed their porcelain production, they adapted to the European craze for Imari and produced pieces inspired by Japanese porcelain, Chinese Imari. Europeans then turned again to Chinese production centers which offered parts cheaper than Japanese parts.”