Porcelain is a type of ceramic body that is fired at extremely high temperatures to achieve a beautiful translucent quality. When fired, porcelain is vitrified, meaning it takes on the qualities of glass. Unlike other ceramic bodies, porcelain is non-porous and watertight even without a layer of glaze. It is prized for its strength and fine finish. Porcelain can be used to make tableware, vases, as well as decorative art objects. Artisans in China first used porcelain as early as 200 BCE. Porcelain was first imported into Europe in the fourteenth century; people considered porcelain objects to be of great beauty and rarity. A rich export business thrived throughout the sixteenth century, with Chinese artisans creating familiar European tablewares after samples sent over from Europe. Not until the eighteenth century did Europeans learned how to make porcelain, prompting porcelain factories to spring up across the continent, producing usable objects as well as sculpture and whimsical figurines.

Many contemporary artists working with porcelain today use their work to comment on the material’s long tradition and customary subject matter. American artist Chris Antemann takes inspiration from eighteenth century ceramic figurines produced at the Meissen factory in Germany, among others. Antemann infuses her work with a very modern sense of humor and commentary about twenty-first century gender roles, while appropriating a centuries-old form. British artist Rachel Kneebone takes advantage of the distinctive white finish of porcelain for her often immense works, which contain multitudes of writhing bodies and force the viewer to think about the nature of the human condition. Other artists creating interesting work in porcelain include Hella Jongerius, Sui Jianguo, Tricia Cline, and Molly Hatch.