Bowl

Art Historical Context

This delicate porcelain bowl, crafted in China between 1785 and 1790 specifically for the American market, the height of early trans-Pacific trade luxury. Measuring just 6¼ inches in diameter, it intricate decorations of birds and a coat of—likely a personalized emblem for prosperous American family. Produced during the post-Revolutionary era, when U.S. merchants eagerly imported Chinese wares via the Canton trade system, such bowls graced elite dining tables as symbols of newfound wealth and global sophistication. Chinese porcelain masters employed sophisticated techniques, firing fine kaoli...