The Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet in Paris is currently displaying “Un firmament de porcelaines De la Chine à l’Europe” (A porcelain firmament from China to Europe). The exhibition presents a unique 3D installation of the spectacular 300 blue and white porcelains ornament at the ceiling of the Porcelain Room at the Santos Palace, the current location of the French embassy in Lisbon. Together with a collection of objects from the palace and ceramic discoveries made during shipwreck excavations off the coast of the Philippines by the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM), directed by Franck Goddio, the show demonstrates the intensity of maritime trade between China and Europe since the 16th century.
The blue and white porcelain had a strong fascination for Europeans and thus a deep impact on the production of ceramics in Europe and on European art in general. Tiles from Portugal, Delft and Nevers, for example, are inspired largely by Chinese but also by Islamic traditions.
The exhibition at the Guimet Museum is open until 10 June 2019. It will travel to China afterwards for a presentation in Shanghai and Shenyang. For more information please visit: www.guimet.fr
For more information on Franck Goddio’s underwater excavations and discoveries of trading vessels and ceramics please visit franckgoddio.org or ieasm.org.