Dr. Teresa Canepa and Katherine Butler introduce the results of their meticulous research of Sir Michael Butler's collection of transitional ceramics, which includes most types of porcelain produced at Jingdezhen, in Jiangxi province, during the 17th century and includes Late Ming, High Transitional, Shunzhi, Early Kangxi, Mid-Late Kangxi, Monochromes, and Famille Verte, as well as disputed pieces.
Atypical patterns such as Buddhist symbols and motifs, together with Islamic and Indo-Persian stylistic influences can be puzzling discoveries on Chinese export ceramics. Jeffery Sng and Pimpraphai Bisalputra introduce one such discovery found in Thailand--a 17th century Chinese export ware to Southeast Asia.
Dr. SAKAI Takashi shared his research into the glazed ceramic shards found in the Segaran district of the Trowulan archaeological site, East Java, Indonesia as well as a number of other Southeast Asian sites. Trowulan was the former capital (1293-c. 1527) of the Majapahit Kingdom, the largest and last of the Hindu Java kingdoms.
Chen Kelun, Senior Curator of the Shanghai Museum, shares evidence from the latest archaeological finds showing that the production of B&W in Jingdezhen had begun by 1330 at the latest. A SEACS programme for members and guests held on 20 April 2022.
Our speaker, Khun Atthasit Sukkham of the Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum, Bangkok University, focused on a trade time period that merits more attention: the last half of the 18th to the early 20th centuries. Based on his and Clifford Pereira and Asyaari Muhamad's research, we looked at six shipwrecks found in Southeast Asia in this time period, which had ceramic assemblages: the Samed Ngam, Diana, Tek Sing, Desaru, Francis-Garnier (Man Nok or Ruea Mail) and Tha Krai. By analysing the origins, typologies, dates, functions and selections of these ships’ ceramics, it was clear that the Chinese-made armorial, Chinese-made bencharong and European ceramics offer diagnostic evidence of post-peak ceramic trading patterns. These ceramics were products for sale, remains of earlier ceramic shipments or utensils for on-board living. This body of evidence is comparable with that of terrestrial archaeological sites that suggest other cultural influences among the more recent maritime ceramic trade in Southeast Asia. SEACS members can watch a video of this talk on our Membership Premium Video page.
Marine archaeologist Dr. Michael Flecker shares the stories and discoveries of the two historic shipwrecks recently found in Singapore waters: the Temasek (Yuan Dynasty) and the Shah Muncher (sank January 1796) enroute from Guangzhou to Mumbai.
The 2010 annual William Willetts Lecture was given by Rose Kerr. Her topic was Chinese export ceramics for the Southeast Asian markets.
A 1939 wedding gift of a set of dishes turns into a family heirloom, travelling from Jingdezhen, China to Hong Kong and finally Singapore.
Canton Export Wares by Professor Feng Su Ge A special lecture on Cant [...]
Chinoiserie: A Vision of the Far East from Europe, 13th-14th century [...]
