从清代的外销瓷看欧人的社会样态和观念形态

European Societies and Values as Reflected by Porcelain Imported from Qing-Dynasty China

中国瓷器曾是东西方文化交流史上最受欢迎的商品之一,17世纪后期,欧洲瓷商经由各国的东印度公司到中国订制外销瓷。他们提供的瓷绘图案样本,既有日耳曼人畜牧经济遗存的文化内涵,又有对当世社会重大历史事件、重要人物、专制王权、自由平等观念等热点问题的关注。通过对现存外销瓷上纹饰图案的解读,可以诠释那个时代欧洲人的经济生活、政治理念和文化精神。

Chinese porcelain wares used to be fashionable commodities in the cultural exchange between China and the West. In the late 17th century, European porcelain dealers booked chinaware products via branches of The East Indian Company in different countries. The sample designs provided by these dealers re- fleeted various aspects of European life, including such topics as animal husbandry of the Germanic people, major historical events and characters in European history, autocratic monarchies, and freedom and equality, etc. A study of the stripes and patterns on existing porcelain wares casts light on the economic life, the politi- cal ideals and cultural spirits of Europeans in that period.