Title
Introduction to Chinese Armorial Porcelain
Original Format
Coats of Arms are an ancient form of personal identification and a mark of family pride. They were developed around 1150 in Europe, probably as a way of identifying knights in battle or jousting tournaments.
Over time, the use of arms spread; by the fifteenth century arms were in use by the aristocracy, and by the eighteenth century successful merchants, professionals, and country gentlemen were adopting them.
Coats of arms decorated a wide range of objects, where they were an important way of showing ownership, recording family history, and marking the achievement of elevated social and economic status.
Arms first appear on Chinese export porcelain around 1700, and well into the nineteenth century they continued to demonstrate an individual's heritage, wealth, and good taste.
Over time, the use of arms spread; by the fifteenth century arms were in use by the aristocracy, and by the eighteenth century successful merchants, professionals, and country gentlemen were adopting them.
Coats of arms decorated a wide range of objects, where they were an important way of showing ownership, recording family history, and marking the achievement of elevated social and economic status.
Arms first appear on Chinese export porcelain around 1700, and well into the nineteenth century they continued to demonstrate an individual's heritage, wealth, and good taste.
Citation
“Introduction to Chinese Armorial Porcelain,” Museums at Washington and Lee University: Online Exhibits, accessed May 17, 2024, https://exhibits-museums.omeka.wlu.edu/items/show/309.