Bleu de Hue dish decorated with cranes and pine trees, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Export ware for Viet Nam, circa 19th century-20

Bleu de Hue dish decorated with cranes and pine trees, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Export ware for Viet Nam, circa 19th century-20th century, porcelain with underglaze decoration and metal rim, 1.9 x 16.4 cm. Gift of Dr John Yu & Dr George Soutter 2002, 169.2002. Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney (C) Art Gallery of NewSouth Wales, Sydney

A lesser known Chinese export ware is 'bleu de Hue', blue-and-white porcelain made for the Vietnamese market from the 1700s, when kings of the Le-Trinh dynasty ordered wares from China for their court. The type is named after Hue, the 19th-century capital of the last royal dynasty in Vietnam, the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945). Although Chinese artisans executed the painting, the Vietnamese rulers dictated the designs. Each ruler ordered ceramics of his own liking for use in his court, as well as presentation pieces to give to members of the royal families and mandarins.

The Asian Collections, AGNSW, 2003, pg.145.