Published: 10:29, January 20, 2025
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A journey through history and across waters
By Jimena Esteban in Buenos Aires

Exhibition of porcelain relics sheds light on colonial South America's trade and cultural links with imperial China

Ignacio Villagran (middle), director of the Centre for Argentina-China Studies at the faculty of social sciences of the University of Buenos Aires, with members of the publishing arm of Renmin University of China in Beijing in 2024. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

In a small but influential museum in the north of Argentina, a porcelain exhibit takes visitors back five centuries and around the world, bringing to life Chinese culture and its nuanced and multifaceted influence on South America.

The History Museum of the North in the city of Salta opened Millennial Porcelain: A Journey from China to Salta, an exhibition that puts the spotlight on Chinese porcelain that made its way from imperial workshops in the Middle Kingdom all the way to Spain's colonial settlements in South America. Visitors can explore the cultural phenomenon of porcelain collecting, and its historical significance along the ancient Silk Road, and also all the way to colonial South America.

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At its most basic, the exhibition highlights the reality that "there were commercial and cultural ties between the Americas and China (going back many centuries)," says Maria Virginia Gunther, a researcher at the museum who headed up research for the exhibit. "We want to highlight the early connections between the Americas and China, showing how porcelain serves as tangible evidence of these exchanges.

"Our main goal is to make this collection accessible to the community. We decided to contextualize it using fragments of Chinese porcelain found in excavations conducted in… Esteco I," says Gunther, referring to an Argentine historical site. "This allowed us to link the pieces to local history and provide a perspective on the early exchanges between Americas and China."

Porcelain items from China are on display at a museum in Argentina, including a piece from the “Rose” family, and one from the Emperor Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The exhibition, which includes pieces from a private collection, as well as recently excavated archaeological finds, opened in late November and will run through March 2025. It includes rare porcelain pieces, such as some believed to be from Emperor Qianlong's era in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and archaeological fragments dug up from the fabled Argentine colonial city known as Esteco, which was obliterated in an earthquake in 1962.

The exhibition is the result of a wide-reaching collaboration backed by Chinese and Argentine institutions, including the Chinese embassy in Argentina, an Argentina-China studies center, the Museum Anthropology in Salta (which led the dig in Esteco), provincial cultural authorities and local municipal governments.

It underscores the long-standing interest in Chinese culture and its deep historical links with the region, and features a variety of pieces, including representative samples of Imari porcelain and pieces from the "Rose" and "Green" porcelain families — so named for the colors used to glaze them — highlighting centuries of artistic evolution.

"It has been an enriching experience, especially because it allows us to connect our historical past with current generations," says Gunther. "It's a diverse collection, but we lack precise chronology or detailed information about its provenance.

"Some pieces have labels with seals that seem to correspond to the reign of Emperor Qianlong, between the years 1735 and 1795.There are also a couple of bowls with similar characteristics," says Gunther.

Porcelain shishi, or lion statues, are part of the exhibition, Millennial Porcelain: A Journey from China to Salta. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

For many visitors, the exhibition is also a powerful reminder of the tragic history of the Spanish colonial settlement founded in 1566 that was officially called Nuestra Senora de Talavera but better known as Esteco. The city was relocated in 1609 and merged with another settlement to form Nuestra Senora de Talavera de Madrid, which became known as Esteco II.

Esteco II evolved over the next eight decades to become one of the region's most prosperous cities, until it was destroyed by an earthquake.

"For the people of Salta, Esteco also holds special meaning because of its connection to the earthquakes. This exhibition allows us to preserve that historical memory," says Gunther.

Many of the pieces were uncovered by archaeological excavations that started at the beginning of this century, according to the researcher.

The presence of Chinese porcelain at Esteco II shows strong evidence of international connections in remote Latin American outposts.

"These fragments, belonging to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), demonstrate that there were commercial and cultural ties between the Americas and China (centuries ago)," says Gunther, adding that these fragments are currently safeguarded by the Museum of Anthropology in Salta.

Over the years, archaeologists have dug up parts of the city, along with fragments of porcelain that are included in the exhibit, according to Maria Campero de Larran, who leads the conservation and restoration efforts at the museum.

"The aim of this exhibition is not only to share this collection and preserve its legacy in Salta but also raise funds," says Campero de Larran, adding that it was the museum's management that "proposed showcasing this collection to make it accessible to a wider audience".

Porcelain items from China are on display at a museum in Argentina, including a piece from the “Rose” family, and one from the Emperor Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

While the fragments dug up in Esteco are owned by the Museum of Anthropology in Salta, the complete pieces on exhibition are from the Mascias-Moinaria art collection, which includes 60 examples of Chinese art and was donated to the HOPE Foundation, which supports children with cancer. A parallel goal of the exhibition is to publicize the collection and, perhaps, find a buyer to raise funds for the foundation.

The pieces on loan to the exhibition originated in China and have been linked to similar items that were present in Salta, according to Ignacio Villaran, director of the Argentina-China Studies Center at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Buenos Aires.

At first glance, Salta is an unlikely place for a repository of Chinese history, while historical Chinese artifacts may be an unlikely repository of efforts to preserve Salta's own legacy.

Some of the earliest exchanges between South America and China emerged out of the porcelain trade.

Chinese porcelain made its way to the Americas starting in the 16th century through the Manila Galleon trade route, a trans-Pacific route used by Spanish galleons from 1565 to 1815, linking the Americas with Asia by connecting Mexico with the Philippines. It was used to transport luxury goods such as spices and porcelain in exchange for silver. At the time, Esteco I was at the heart of Spain's vast colonial holdings in the continent — Argentina did not declare independence until three centuries later.

The porcelain items were primarily circulated in Argentina during the Ming and Qing dynasties, according to Villaran.

"Most of the pieces on display were likely crafted toward the end of the Ming Dynasty at the earliest, but predominantly during the Qing Dynasty, spanning the 18th and 19th centuries," Villaran says.

Aside from porcelain, traders moved silk and spices along routes that spanned the globe starting in China, traveling westward to Europe, and then on Manila Galleon sailing vessels across to the Americas.

Porcelain items from China are on display at a museum in Argentina, including a piece from the “Rose” family, and one from the Emperor Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Despite these deep roots, there is relatively little research on how that trade helped South America's culture evolve. However, various studies suggest that porcelain artifacts were widely circulated.

The History Museum of the North has permanent collections that chronicle the region's rich history, while the building itself is a national historical landmark.

The exhibition takes the exploration of China's links to the region a step further and allows visitors to discover the rich history of the porcelain trade, porcelain art and its origins in China, the role of the Silk Road, and the journey these pieces took to Esteco.

On display are items including porcelain figurines, illustrations, bowls and incense burners. They are decorated in designs including peonies, plum blossoms, peach blossoms, pheasants and more.

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There are pieces from the Famille Rose, porcelain painted in rose and pink shades, and Famille Verte, which has yellow, blue, red, green and purple color ranges.

The Famille Rose pieces were known in China as yangcai, or "foreign colors" because they originated in Europe in 1685. Famille Verte pieces use a palette of yellow or rich greenish black created largely during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. Later, during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, rose colors were favored over the older and more traditional greens, according to the exhibition introduction.

The exhibition helps shine a light on the historical fascination with Asian art collections, "a vogue stemming from a broader European trend prevalent during the 19th and early 20th centuries," Villaran says.

"This movement had an impact on the collection of Oriental pieces, forming the conceptual framework for this exhibition. The display showcases a variety of plates, vases and other tableware decorated with Chinese motifs."

The fragments from 16th-century Esteco are among the oldest pieces on display.

"While no complete pieces have survived, their discovery is significant. It offers insight into the artistic production of everyday objects, both decorative and practical," Villaran says.