Famille Noir Jar

Famille noir jar decorated in polychrome enamel depicting iris, prunus, peonies, wisteria, cherry blossoms, and two butterflies, with a black background. There is a border of pink peonies along the shoulder, and a border of plantain leaves around the base. The lid has a border of pink peonies with a top of wisteria, prunus and peonies. The terms famille verte, famille rose, and famille noir, were invented by Western collectors in the late 19th century for Chinese 18th-century enamel decoration dominated by green (French: verte) and opaque pink (French: rose) colors. Famille noir, meaning the black family, is famille verte but with a black background. Chinese famille noir pieces made in the Kangxi reign (1662-1722) achieved the black color by applying a copper-green lead based enamel over an unfired coating of the dry black cobalt which are also used for black outlines. During the firing the two enamels fused resulting in a deep black effect with a hint of green especially visibly where the two layers doesn't fully cover each other. The style was popular in both Japan and the West since the 1880s and Meiji craftsmen admired and copied Chinese porcelain exports of the Qing dynasty and often used a black or dark blue background