Antique Famille Verte Rose Chinese Ginger Jar

Chinese ginger jars have been a highly sought after item for hundreds of years,  giving a small and immediate insight into artistic changes in Chinese culture throughout history.  Relatively small, made of delicate porcelain they were produced with high levels of craftmanship and beautiful colours and details.

Ginger jars are often classified by motifs, including:

• Blue and white ginger jars
• Imari ginger jars
• Famille verte ginger jars
• Famille rose ginger jars

The first jars date as far back as the Qin dynasty (221 – 207 BCE). They were very of a very basic design and used to store salt and giner.  It was not until the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) that the highly recogniseable blue and white jars came into production.  As China opened up to the Western world through the Silk Route and fleets from Europe the demand for spices, salts, herbs and oil was fulfilled through the use of these beautiful pieces of porcelain.  The exotic designs and vibrant colours were an instant hit with the European market and encouraged European porcelain makers to work to improve their own designs and colour palettes.

Ginger jars that appear in the famille verte (“green family”) and famille rose (“pink family”) styles  date back to the Ming Dynasty, but became formalized in the 16th century into the five-color enamel process dominated by rich, yet translucent, shades of green. The famille rose style followed in the 18th century and was so named for its characteristic opaque pink shade. 

Famille rose porcelain, or fencai (粉彩), emerged in China during the Kangxi period of the Qing dynasty (1662–1722) and is celebrated for its vibrant overglaze enamels. This technique introduced a wider palette of soft, opaque colours, including the distinctive rose pink, allowing artisans to create intricate and naturalistic designs. Perfected in Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China, famille rose became highly sought after for its detailed imagery and symbolic motifs, blending traditional Chinese artistry with innovations influenced by Western materials and techniques.

This late Qing dynasty ginger jar is a vibrant example of famille rose porcelain, featuring a continuous celebratory scene painted in bold enamels. Human figures in colourful robes carry banners, parasols, and playing musical instruments together with the lotus motifs enhance the jar’s auspicious themes.

The jar is in excellent condition for its age, with a smooth glaze and vibrant, intact enamels. Minor wear is visible, consistent with its age, and the lid does not fit tightly, typical of export wares as they were often made separately. Every detail, from the expressions to the patterns on and folds of the figures’ robes, reflects the mastery of Qing porcelain.