OCSHK Lecture: Chinese Porcelain in Habsburg Spain (1517-1700) by Dr Cinta Krahe

A version of this lecture was delivered live on 24 October 2023 to the members of the Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong Kong.

The trade and collecting of Chinese porcelain had a global reach from the beginning of the 16th century through the maritime routes established between Europe, Africa, America, and Asia. The Hispanic Monarchy’s interest in Chinese manufactures dates to the colonization of the Philippines in 1571, when access to sources of supply became easier. During the Habsburg period (1517–1700), special commissions of Chinese porcelain were made for the Spanish market but only a few examples are preserved today in private or foreign collections. King Philip II (1527–1598)’s collection of Chinese porcelain was in its day the largest in Europe. Sadly, nothing has survived of that collection of over 3,000 pieces.

This lecture examines the occurrence of Chinese porcelain the 16th and 17th century through research of the archives of the Spanish royal families, eminent nobles, merchants and other individuals. As the information obtained from archival research is often incomplete and even confusing, archaeological evidence will be surveyed to broaden the scope of sources to throw light on this period. To complement these two sources, the lecture will also include a survey of Spanish paintings depicting Chinese porcelain.

Dr. Cinta Krahe is Associate Professor of East Asian Art at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. She holds a PhD from Leiden University in Chinese Porcelain and other Orientalia in Habsburg Spain, supervised by Dr. Christiaan Jörg, and an MA in Chinese Art and Archaeology from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. She curated an exhibition of Chinese Porcelain from the San Diego Galleon in the Naval Museum (Madrid) and its associated catalogue, and was exhibition curator of Orientando la Mirada: Arte asiático en las colecciones públicas madrileñas in the Centro Cultural Conde Duque (2009, Madrid) focusing on East Asian Decorative Arts in Madrilenian public collections. She is currently writing a book on East Asian Art and Chinoiserie in 18th Century Spain, which focuses on the Oriental porcelain collection of Queen Elisabeth Farnese of Spain (1692-1766) (Centro de Estudios Europa Hispánica, Madrid 2024).