The Lie in the Teapot: China, China Export Porcelain, and the Construction of Orientalism during the American Republic

Abstract

The Lie in The Teapot: China, China Export Porcelain, and the Construction of Orientalism during the American Republic, by Kiersten Strachan is an original and provocative contribution to our understanding of early American culture. Strachan has navigated the difficulties of transnational and comparative scholarship by drawing upon material culture. By using physical objects to help make her argument, Strachan explores a type of primary source that many historians do not draw upon. As she considers these ceramics, she participates in a critical discussion about orientalism and the way trade, travel, and racial stereotypes influence one another. Additionally, we have all seen the pottery that her essay discusses, because chinaware is still a major part of American culture in some regions of the United States. Strachan's essay critically examines the origins and consequences of this cultural borrowing and forces us to do the same. – Sarah Capps