The Qing dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. Founded by the Manchus after the fall of the Ming, it presided over a long period of prosperity and artistic achievement, particularly during the reigns of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors in the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Qing decorative arts are renowned for their technical perfection and variety. The imperial kilns at Jingdezhen produced outstanding porcelain, including blue and white, famille verte, famille rose, monochromes and copies of earlier wares, while workshops created exquisite jade carvings, cloisonné enamels, carved lacquer, ivory, bamboo and textiles. Vast quantities of export porcelain were made for European markets, often in Western shapes or with armorial decoration, and Canton enamels and painted wares were produced for trade. Reign marks on Qing porcelain can help with dating but must be treated with caution, as many were applied retrospectively. Quality of potting, painting and glaze is the best guide to age and value.
