Famille jaune, noire, rose, verte
Famille jaune, noire, rose, verte are terms used in the West to classify Chinese porcelain of the Qing dynasty by the dominant colour of its enamel palette. These wares were initially grouped under the French names of famille verte, and famille rose by Albert Jacquemart in 1862. The other terms famille jaune (yellow) and famille noire (black) may have been introduced later by dealers or collectors and they are generally considered subcategories of famille verte. Famille verte porcelain was produced mainly during the Kangxi era, while famille rose porcelain was popular in the 18th and 19th century. Much of the Chinese production was Jingdezhen porcelain, and a large proportion were made for export to the West, but some of the finest were made for the Imperial court.
Moon flask (right) in famille rose, Jingdezhen porcelain, Yongzheng reign (1723–1735)
Wucai vase, Shunzhi period, circa 1650–1660
Wucai plate for exportation, Kangxi period, circa 1680
Wucai plate for exportation, Kangxi period, circa 1680
Famille rose is a type of Chinese porcelain introduced in the 18th century and defined by pink overglaze enamel. It is a Western classification for Qing dynasty porcelain known in Chinese by various terms: fencai, ruancai, yangcai, and falangcai. The colour palette is thought to have been brought to China during the reign of Kangxi (1654–1722) by Western Jesuits who worked at the palace, but perfected only in the Yongzheng era when the finest pieces were made, and famille rose ware reached the peak of its technical excellence during the Qianlong period.
Famille rose bowl, Imperial porcelain, Jingdezhen
Moon flask (right) in famille rose, Jingdezhen porcelain, Yongzheng reign, the Percival David Collection at the British Museum
A selection of falangcai porcelains
Some designs became more complex in the Qianlong period. A vase with engraved pattern and openwork medallions, painted with famille rose enamels.