Antiques Dealer Guide - Articles

The ever-increasing demand in the West for more colourful porcelain led the early-19th century Chinese potters to smother the surfaces of their wares with decoration. Among the most popular was the all-over pattern that has become known as Canton “famille rose” porcelain. The surrounding area of the great port of Canton was occupied by Potteries, and the name “famille rose” derives from the dominant pink colour. A random arrangement of birds, butterflies, flowers and insects is one type of Canton, another has panels of garden scenes with figures set within dense borders of colour. All were made to follow European shapes.