Decorative Arts of the China Trade

Western trade with China began with the Portuguese in the 16th century, followed by Spanish, Dutch, English, French, Swedish and Austrian vessels. The Americans entered the scene in 1784. To satisfy the Occidental taste for exotica, Chinese artists created paintings, furniture, wallpaper, silks, embroideries, fans, carvings, silverware and pewter specifically for the export market. Their superb work can be sampled in this nimble study featuring hundreds of color and black-and-white plates. Crossman opens this survey with a colorful account of Salem, Mass., captain Benjamin Shreve's 1819 voyage, shipwreck off South America and subsequent trading in Canton. By the 1860s, quality overall had declined and the distinctive features of Chinese export art were blurred. This volume updates the original 1972 edition. (Oct.)