16 Minnesota Academy of Science 



from China and Korea. Korean potters established them- 

 selves in japan the tirst and third centuries of our era, others 

 came in the fifth and seventh centuries, and still others were 

 brought over to Japan in about 1530. This Ming Chinese 

 period really marked the beginning of Japanese art, while 

 thai of Korea declined until it became almost extinct as an 

 important art industry. 



The stonewares or earthenwares of the old Roman pot- 

 ters of about the Christian era, as found in the ruins of Her- 

 culaneum and other ancient cities, are most peculiar in form 

 and color and different in general designs from that of any 

 of the other nations, ancient or modern. The large num- 

 ber of of examples that are in, or yet to be placed in, the 

 museum, are the only reproductions of any of the pottery in 

 the collections. Originals, are not obtainable excepting 

 rarely a rather unsatisfactory example. 



Most museum examples are reproductions, the same as 

 in other ancient art of pottery, bronze, and marble where 

 originals are not obtainable, and great numbers of such re- 

 productions are to be found in nearly all museums as the 

 only resource to show the art of the times and nations. 



During the first half of the seventeenth century, the 

 Dutch merchants engaged most extensively in the earthen- 

 ware and porcelain trade of China. The potter's art had 

 during this time, extended into Japan and their wares were 

 also traded in by these merchants and distributed over Europe 

 to the great advancement and increasing wealth and pros- 

 perity of the Dutch people. This ware took the place of 

 the pewter and woodenware of central Europe and became 

 exceedingly popular all over the world and its usefulness 

 and attractiveness, from its artistic form, coloring and finish, 

 led the Dutch to establish potteries at the town of Delft 

 about 1650. 



During the next century measuring from this time, the 

 manufacture of these stonewares or porcelains achieved 

 world-wide reputation, and potteries were established all 

 over most of the nations of Europe, — in Italy, France, 

 Austria, Spain, Portugal, England and Ireland. There were 

 different degrees of excellence in the different nations and 

 different potters, but the manufactures were quite similar in 

 texture, form and general design. 



This Delft manufacture led to the experimental stage of 

 pottery for earthenware, stoneware and porcelains. During 



