Explore the Blue and white standard about the Significance of this artwork, David Vases.
As the only firmly dated Yuan dynasty porcelains for many years, the vases have been considered as "one of the main cornerstones in the chronology of blue and white", and "linchpin in studies of the development of Chinese ceramics with underglaze blue decorations", and the standard by which all other Yuan dynasty blue-and-white pieces may be compared. However, it is also argued that the pieces were produced in a period of upheaval and instability in the closing years of the Yuan dynasty, therefore should only be considered as representative of Yuan blue-and-white at its ebb. High quality Yuan porcelain from officially-controlled kilns have since been found.It was believed that early blue-and-white ware was produced only for export, and that blue-and-white was denigrated in China before it gained acceptance. The early Ming work Gegu Yaolun (格古要論) described blue and multi-coloured ware as "exceedingly vulgar". However, the David vases showed that blue-and-white porcelains were produced for local consumption during the Yuan dynasty, and more Yuan blue-and-white wares have since been uncovered.
underglaze Chinese ceramics Yuan dynasty blue-and-white