Lustre Revealed: Jingdezhen Porcelain Wares in Mid-15th Century China

Lustre Revealed: Jingdezhen Porcelain Wares in Mid-15th Century China
灼烁重现——十五世纪中期景德镇瓷器大展

Dates: May 28 - Sep 1, 2019
Location: Shanghai Museum, Shanghai

This exhibition was inspired by a major archaeological discovery in 2014 -- the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) imperial kiln site in Jingdezhen, East China’s Jiangxi province. It was by far the largest exhibition ever mounted in the world to discuss the mid-15th century gap in Chinese ceramics history. The Shanghai Museum cooperated with the Jingdezhen Institutefor Ceramic Archaeology and Research, and borrowed representative works from 27 museums and archaeological research institutes at home and abroad, creating more than 287 exhibits.

The exhibition presented the entire development of Jingdezhen ceramics throughout the mid-15th century. Divided into four parts, it presented extant imperial porcelain products, unearthed ware from the Jingdezhen imperial kiln sites, the porcelain related to the imperial princes in their fiefs, as well as specimens from privately-owned kilns.

The exhibition had outstanding academic strength based on the capabilities and achievements of the three generations of staff in the Ceramic Research Department of the Shanghai Museum. It focused on Jingdezhen porcelain of the mid-15 century, which had been an academic challenge and a research gap in the history of Chinese ceramics.

The curatorial team had carefully selected exhibits from all over the world. Those from the Seikadō Bunko Art Museum and School of the Art Institute of Chicago were displayed for the first time in an overseas exhibition. Over recent years international cooperation has facilitated exchanges and research interactions, culminating in the exhibition's international symposium attended by 180 experts and scholars from all over the world.