A Bowl for Export

As a piece of export porcelain, this particular punch bowl was made in China for the American market in 1784.[cf p.60] It depicts a panorama of the waterfront of Guangzhou, known to Europeans as Canton, with a focus on the representation of architecture dating back to 1779.[cf p.1] As a prominent trading port in China, Canton played an important part in the steady commodity flow and social interaction between European and Chinese merchants, a role that is reflected in art and material culture. Let us begin to decode this fascinating object through visual details.