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The History of Ceramics
The Ming Dynasty: China's Porcelain Revolution
The Ming Dynasty: China's Porcelain Revolution
Join Stephanie Rozene and Paul Greenhalgh as they uncover why Ming porcelain remains one of the greatest achievements in the history of ceramics. Main Description This week Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene explore the extraordinary ceramics of the Ming Dynasty, the period that established China as the world's greatest producer of porcelain.
From the famous blue-and-white wares of Jingdezhen to magnificent imperial commissions and the global trade that carried Chinese porcelain across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, we uncover how Ming potters achieved levels of craftsmanship that have rarely been surpassed. We also discover how these exquisite objects became symbols of wealth, power, and cultural exchange, inspiring generations of potters around the world.
Featured Artworks:
Emperor Hongwu (21 October 1328 – 24 June 1398) – Public Domain Monks Cape Ewer, 1368-1644, The Met Collection, Public Domain Bowl with Chrysanthemums, late 14th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain Porcelain Plate with Animals, mid 14th Century, The Met Collection, Public Domain Jar with Dragon, 1426-1435, The Met Collection, Public Domain Bowl with Pomegranates, lotus scrolls, and chrysanthemum Petals, early 15th century, Public Domain Flask with Medallion, early 15th century, The Met Collection, Public Domain
Professor Paul Greenhalgh is a specialist on the art and design of the Modern period. He has written widely on Art Nouveau and curated several exhibitions including the major survey Art Nouveau 1890-1914, which toured internationally (2000-01). His books include Ephemeral Vistas (1988), Modernism in Design (1990), Art Nouveau 1890–1914 (2000), The Modern Ideal (2005), Fair World (2011), L’Art Nouveau: La Revolution Decorative (2013), Ceramic Art and Civilisation (2021) and Pablo Picasso: The Legacy of Youth (2022). He has held positions as Head of Research at the V&A Museum, London; President and Director at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC; Director of the Sainsbury Centre, Norwich; and Inaugural Director of the Zaha Hadid Foundation, London. He was born and raised in Bolton, and is a proud Lancastrian.
Stephanie Rozene is a ceramic artist, Professor of Art, and the Ceramics Program Coordinator at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York she has been teaching, writing and making art since 2004. At Hartwick she's been honored with the Wandersee Scholar in Residence award twice, along with the Teacher Scholar Award. Stephanie's research uses historical ornament and porcelain as a visual language to critique contemporary political rhetoric, and she also explores the history of clay as a cooking tool. Her work has been shown extensively both nationally and internationally. She is a member of the International Academy of Ceramics and is the Vice President of the board of trustees for the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine, and was educated at NSCAD University in Nova Scotia, Canada and the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University.
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The History of Ceramics brings together British art historian & curator Paul Greenhalgh and U.S. maker and academic Stephanie Rozene as they reveal the most surprising stories from this often-overlooked corner of art history.
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