The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-01
CHINESE ART.
sRE PORCELAIN OF CHINA IETEL-
RECENTLY DEsCRIBEn AND
ILLUeTRITED.

N@EehENLN@ Sst49NHNs SAAtNN8A So
App-sssss.a by Dr. sssssn sr P.h,-e.
We have before us the latest work on Chi
nese ceramics. Ia CfraS,iass Chinotse Paris.
Tirmin- Didet ct Cieh By RRrEsT GRANpI-
piER. an enthusiastic collector OF Oriental
porcslsin. whose collection 10 Of worldwide
reputation. and IL talked Of 1t Pekins. - esn
myself testify. ss we'll ss in London and New
York. We are told IN recent number Of the
Gazette des Bea,u Arts that u IL an omen secret
that the owner intends 20 present his treasures
20 the Louvre, and believe that Il was already
being actually transferred to its new quarters
when the Minister Of . new Government hest
tstsd about sanctionins . resolution OF his
predecessor to the effect that N. 0rsndidier
should be offieially appointed curator OF his
ewn belongings. and be endowed, moreover
with an annual subvention to be expended
on the collection. Let us hope that all such
difficulties have been satisfactorily arranged,
and that visitors to Paris may be able in this
coming season TO zee fun display OF the
3.500 pieces, OF which only selection is de-
seribed and Illustrated In the portly volume
before us. and to compare II with the varied
collection Of Oriental porcelain and pottery
which Mr.. Franks, its learned curator. so gem
erously presented TO the British Museum. Fer
this reason. II not for its intrinsic merits.
every collector or amateur might find
worse Investment for so francs. which IL the
price Of an unbound copy.
The book IL beautifully printed By the we'll
known publishers Of the Institute and Illus
trsted with forty-two plates. containing repro
duotiens Of 12z pieces in the collection. exc
cutsd By photo-litho Rraphic process fhslio-
pracweJ By Duiardin. For the exact form and
for . general idea Of the decoration OF the
painted ware this process doeswell enough but
Il gives. OF course. no idea Of the oolorinR. and
% omits the most characteristic point Of the
Chinese artist Il fails. too. in the pictures Of
blue and white. because the blue. being painted
on the paste and aftsrward covered with
translucent glaze. produces for that reason
blurred result The day Of prefaces 10 past.
but We will venture TO translate one. as an exc
ception. to put Ne In . properly enthusiastic
frame OF mind:
-Ths work that publish to-day s the fruit OF long
experience and the result Of numerous resssrohsa
have however. prstsntion 10 have slucidatsd all
she obscure questions that have attempted to treat
Ny more modest ambition has been limited toward
clearing the ground little aud correcting some Of the
errors committed By my predecessors. Ihsve concern
tratsd all my efforts TO this aim. but have always
succeeded in my taskf dare not hope 60 10 % easy
to get lost In little known eeunry whsa the wsy 10
stopped BY thick mis AID blocked By serious obsts-
ses which rlss at every step front Of the traveller
fersevsrenoe ~ all cost 10 necessary to nsht against
the of the explorer who ought without
ceasinx TO battle against the difficulties Of the route
false Information the Ignorance and bad faith Of
the guides. I should esteem myself happy IL have
eonsributsd one stone TO the building II have sd-
~, - ~. ..eo....r. VAT s.d ia .ov and an
Abundant hsry,,, to rean
would that had the authority Of the poet and his
Esnusi would raise To Chinese art an impsrshaole
monument and one verify oft
Tha nott haa hA tam M ant NJ
sI. M, p,oeesss .. msna u,.e nHvs oseh
,h., !. =. no, ,ns.n.a..n. % n. 1890
.nsmi., a .uosssd IN ,hs a,cor,,Ion At nores.,n
40 make researches into the s1ae, sompos.ion OF
Chinese snamsIs and to NJ the degrees of tsmpsrs-
turs OF the baking OF Oriental poresisins. 10 an I'M
grateful task leading to no certain rsssfA have
therefore spared myseh suen useless tot
. Ia ~ .a,..,~. ~. - .-. ~. " ., ~. I'm
a, c,s..tns.,,on In mi. n.,h Tn.y.
myself fulnllius mi promis. !. an mn gan IN. an
probation Of the reader will Be my beat rseompenss
In spite OF It's aapprsciAbs charm aaa Its prestige
elegance Of style must IN certain measure. Be sacr
nesd 10 eisarnsss OF LANGUAGE necessary eaaiinea
,'on ioe .ne ~h.si ~no'e ,n"n.on 70 pop@
a.. go, a. .,a.,.sna vs., .. srn,.,,.a >. s,, :.
..,s,s.t "a him 10 .,s,.,s n.,r,., vh,,a
shs true .ssss Of the thought expressed is At
once to fan In sns's aim. lhavs neglected no pains
to triumph the innumsrabs dicultiss resulting
from the abundance Of matter in the ceramic art and
from the innni,s vAnsv o. oeco.ahvs usssmen' l
raw as'os psa ,s.',. $500
~, $40 .o,. ,,a,,,.. m. 1890. =, m-v.,s.
IL Is hardly necessary to begin with the
theory that all civilization came from the East
the realm Of the sun and Of light. and that
China had already attained to Q high degree OF
culture. ct . time whom Germans and Gauls
were still battling as barbarians In the forests
Of Western Europe 1t Ii SUFFICIENT to start
with the unaoubtsd fact that porcelain was an
Invention OF the Chinese At what exact
period We know not stanislas julien. whose
from the Chinese OF the history OF
porcelain We all know. proved that IL must
have been during the dynasty OF the former
Han between b. @ 1So and A. ID. ~. because
certain town In the west OF China was called
Sin-p'u0 during that dynasty. its name having
been changed Aftsrward. But Shipping was
also an old name OF Fo'i-lianS. great centre
81 the porcelain mandatory to the present
aaY. as may be sssn By referring to the ofieial