Porcelain is one of the great Chinese inventions.

At the same time, the beauty of the pottery is based on the perfect interplay of shape, glaze and decoration. Where decorations are omitted, the focus is entirely on the simple elegance of the colored cover.

By the end of the imperial period, Chinese potters, through their extensive knowledge of clay, glazes, and color bodies, as well as their masterful control of firing conditions, had succeeded in producing colors reminiscent of the bright blue of a clear sky, red, delicately speckled bean seeds, or the shiny polished surfaces of bronze mirrors.

The pottery masters of the Qing period (1644 – 1911) used the classical ceramics of the Song period (960 – 1279) or the monochrome glazed porcelains of the Ming period (1368 – 1644) as models, but at the same time they also developed new, unusual colors to meet the demanding wishes of their clientele, especially the imperial court. Influenced by the prevailing taste for antiquities, some of their vessels were created in imitation of antique bronzes.

The fascinating color palette as well as the variety of forms of these late monochrome porcelains are exemplarily illustrated by the collection of Dr. Georg Büchner, from which the Linden-Museum Stuttgart presents a representative selection as a cabinet exhibition for the first time.