On European Imitation

In a recent trip to China, I visited Design Society in Shekou, Shenzhen. There, the V&A Museum have been running an exhibition on the Values of Design.

One of the themes of the exhibition, according to curator Brendan Cormier is to “show that the ‘copycat China’ stereotype isn’t as black and white as people might think”.

The exhibition was fantastic — offering up plenty to observe and ponder. A single example of the theme of copycatting has stuck in my mind however.

Delftware pottery.

The famous blue and white crockery we often associate with old aunts and once a luxury in many parts of Europe and the US was little more than a cheap imitation of Chinese porcelain.

By the middle of the 17th century, Dutch potters were re-creating the look of the porcelain by coating earthenware with a tin glaze, creating a booming business in mimicking Chinese originals at affordable prices.

What I find interesting here is not only the idea that the imitation game runs counter to our modern intuitions, but the broader concept that imitation goods can become collectible and luxury items, in and of themselves.

Food for thought.