Dish: Musicians and Dancers in Chinoiserie Style

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Dish: Musicians and Dancers in Chinoiserie Style

Artist Rouen Factory (French)

Place of OriginFrance, Rouen

Date1700-1725

DimensionsOverall (H x W x D): 2 1/2 × 17 1/2 × 12 1/8 in. (6.4 × 44.5 × 30.8 cm)

MediumTin-glazed earthenware, known as faience

ClassificationCeramics

Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1969.298

Not on View

Label TextBefore the type of white clay needed to produce porcelain was discovered in Europe, France was one of the first non-Asian countries to produce “artificial,” or soft-paste, porcelain, specifically frit porcelain. Made at the Rouen manufactory in 1673, this type of ceramic combined ground glass with fine-grained light clay and required a lead or tin glaze to seal the porous surface. Although the Rouen pottery manufactory had limited production and closed in 1696, faience (tin-glazed earthenware) continued to be made in Rouen by other manufactories in the Chinese style throughout the 18th century. The decoration on this platter of Chinese figures dancing to music reflects the joyous and carefree atmosphere that Europeans imagined reigned in China.