ci ban 瓷板 porcelain panel P#185 table screen; 瓷板画; ci pian
Also known as xiang qian ci 镶嵌瓷, porcelain panels with carved or painted designs were first made in the Ming dynasty and very popular in the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns of the Qing. They come in forms and sizes such as square, round, oval, or lozenge to be fitted in the furniture as decoration. They can be mounted as a table screen or fitted as decorative panels on furniture such as tables, chairs and beds. Those made in the Kangxi reign were often decorated in underglaze blue or the wu cai* palette while those from the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods are either blue-and-white or have fen cai* decoration. The designs include landscapes, figures, flowers, birds, fruits, immortals, antique objects, and calligraphy of poems or auspicious sayings. Blue-and-white panels were exported to Europe.
