Kraak Porcelain: A Moment in the History of Trade

When two captured portuguese merchantment were brought to The Netherlands in the early seventeenth century, their cargoes of Chinese porcelain were enthusiastically received by the Dutch. These plates, dishes and bowls, decorated in blue and white ground, were named ‘Kraak Porcelain’, a name which has long since been associated with a particular type of Chinese export porcelain, not only by the Dutch but also by other countries. Despite the enduring and widespread appeal of Oriental ceramics in The Netherlands and elsewhere, no scholar has yet concentrated exclusively on the topic of Kraak porcelain, with the result that this book represents the first comprehensive monograph available on the subject. Maura Rinaldi’s exhaustive study of Kraak porcelain, the culmination of more than five years of research and a world-wide search for pieces, goes much further than most monographs on ceramics by including all relevant material to the study of Kraak porcelain. The four sections of the book, dealing with the historical background, development of the ceramic industry and trade, the numerous categories and classifications of Kraak and its imitations, are all extensively illustrated. Kraak Porcelain will prove to be an invaluable reference book for collectors, scholars, and students, as well as general readers with a keen interest in Oriental ceramics.