Two vases

Compared to ceramics, Glass played a negligible role in China. It may have emerged in the Warring States Period (5th to 3rd century BC) and was used as imitation jade during Han Dynasty (3rd century BC until 3rd century AD). Subsequently, Persian Glass made its way to China, and Chinese production was forgotten. Jesuit missionaries reintroduced Glass production in the Imperial Palace workshops of the Mongolian Qing Dynasty at the end of the 17th century; the Jesuit Kilian Stumpf (1655–1720) from Würzburg aroused Chinese interest in the material when he wanted to make lenses for his astronomical instruments. It seems that translucent blue Glass was not introduced until 1741, by one of Stumpf ’s successors, the Jesuit Gabriel-Léonard de Broussard (1703–1758). At around this time the characteristic ‘horse hoof ’ or ‘hand bell’ shape adopted from ceramic vessels was popular in China. (Dedo von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk)