When I was sharin’ the pics of sum designer brands’ collections inspir’d by Chinese blue and white Qing Hwa porcelain the other day on facebook, a friend commented and gav an alternative view ’bout the inspiration of such design dat the blue and white embroideries on sum pieces such as the gowns presented in Christian Dior Spring/Summer 09 Haute Couture collection are in fact possibly closer to Delftware or ceramic blue tile reference originated frm the Netherlands and Portugal respectively. Considerin’ the floral motif of turnips as a symbol of the Netherlands, Galliano’s apparently work’n on a distinctly European design rather than adoptin’ the Chinese elements in his works. I definitely take his point as many aftershow reviews’d taken note of the influence of the Dutch masters frm whom the designer took a rich Vermeer palette. Nevertheless, when I juxtapos’d the pics of Chinese Qing Hwa porcelain, Dutch Delft pottery and of Portuguese handpainted ceramic tiles, I was amaz’d at the similarities among ‘em all and hav come up with a conclusion dat the mutual cultural influence between the East and the West’s a history dat possibly dates back to the 15th century, i.e. the Ming Dynasty of China when a lively trade took place between the East and the Dutch East India Company during the Dutch Golden Age. Millions of pieces of Chinese porcelain were imported in the early 1600s.The Chinese workmanship and attention to detail impress’d many. Only the richest could afford the early imports tho. Although Dutch potters didn’t immediately imitate Chinese porcelain, they began to do it in 1620 when the supply to Europe’s interrupted. Delftware inspir’d by Chinese originals persisted frm ’bout 1630 to the mid-eighteenth century alongside European patterns.
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