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Jan 12, 2023 · In the first decades of the 18th century, a chromatic revolution took place in China in the field of enamel painting on glaze. Until then, wucai enamels, with their few translucent hues, were applied in flat tints, allowing at most slight variations in intensity in the hue itself but no mixing between colours. The introduction of a white enamel ...
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Enamels do not appear to have reached China until long after they were found throughout Europe. All authorities are agreed as to the Western origin of the art, which in all probability was introduced into China by traders or by travelling craftsmen. Although by the 5th century ce the Chinese were informed as to the production of glass—an essential material for the making of enamels—and were already highly skilled in the working of bronzes and other metals, there is no evidence that the art of enamelling was practiced before the Tang dynasty (618–907). There is in the Shōsō-in (principal storehouse) at Nara, Japan, a silver mirror the back of which is decorated in cloisonné. It is generally agreed that the mirror is of Chinese origin, dating from the Tang dynasty, as is certainly the case with many other objects in the collection. At present this is the only known Chinese enamelled ware made before the 14th century, but it can be safely assumed from this piece that the art of cloisonné was developed to a respectable height in the Tang dynasty. It appears that cloisonné work was well established in China at the end of the 14th century and that Byzantine work of similar character was also so well known as to invite comparison with the native product. The former may well have served as an example for Chinese craftsmen. As one scholar points out:
The workmanship presents occasionally…striking resemblances with certain enamels of the Byzantine school; the mixture of different enamels inside the wall of the same cell, the employment of gold incrustations in the treatment of the fingers and the hands, etc.
Active trade and cultural intercourse between the Near East and China during the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty must have been the reason for this revival of enamelwork, which then flourished through the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1644 and 1644–1911/12, respectively).
Chinese enamels fall into three categories—cloisonné, champlevé, and painted. In none does the technique vary appreciably from that employed in Western countries.
Enamels do not appear to have reached China until long after they were found throughout Europe. All authorities are agreed as to the Western origin of the art, which in all probability was introduced into China by traders or by travelling craftsmen. Although by the 5th century ce the Chinese were informed as to the production of glass—an essential material for the making of enamels—and were already highly skilled in the working of bronzes and other metals, there is no evidence that the art of enamelling was practiced before the Tang dynasty (618–907). There is in the Shōsō-in (principal storehouse) at Nara, Japan, a silver mirror the back of which is decorated in cloisonné. It is generally agreed that the mirror is of Chinese origin, dating from the Tang dynasty, as is certainly the case with many other objects in the collection. At present this is the only known Chinese enamelled ware made before the 14th century, but it can be safely assumed from this piece that the art of cloisonné was developed to a respectable height in the Tang dynasty. It appears that cloisonné work was well established in China at the end of the 14th century and that Byzantine work of similar character was also so well known as to invite comparison with the native product. The former may well have served as an example for Chinese craftsmen. As one scholar points out:
The workmanship presents occasionally…striking resemblances with certain enamels of the Byzantine school; the mixture of different enamels inside the wall of the same cell, the employment of gold incrustations in the treatment of the fingers and the hands, etc.
Active trade and cultural intercourse between the Near East and China during the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty must have been the reason for this revival of enamelwork, which then flourished through the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1644 and 1644–1911/12, respectively).
Chinese enamels fall into three categories—cloisonné, champlevé, and painted. In none does the technique vary appreciably from that employed in Western countries.
- Hugh Tait
Chinese cloisonné ware won first prize at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Later, in 1915, during the early years of the Republic of China, Chinese cloisonné again won first prize at the Panama World's Fair. Modern Chinese Cloisonné. Cloisonné decorated objects are still made in China. Now, chemical technology allows the artwork to be very ...
Now on view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Galleries 220–221. Enamel decoration is a significant element of Chinese decorative arts that has long been overlooked. This exhibition reveals the aesthetic, technical, and cultural achievement of Chinese enamel wares by demonstrating the transformative role of enamel during the Ming (1368–1644) and ...
An ancient metalworking technique, it is a multi-step process used to produce jewelry, vases, and other decorative items. Objects produced by this process are also called cloisonné. Cloisonné first developed in the Near East. The technique reached China in the 13-14th centuries from Byzantium or the Islamic world.
Yellow enamel was first used on Cizhou pottery during the Northern Song dynasty together with red and green. The enamel was probably created by a low concentration of iron oxide in a lead solution i.e. the same as was used to create the yellow to amber colors in the Tang sancai glazes. Iron yellow becomes a staple enamel from early Ming and ...
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Apr 1, 2014 · According to Xie, the Austro-Hungarian Empire imported enamelware to China in 1878 and in 1916 a British businessman established the first enamelware factory in Shanghai. At the time of peak production, China had 122 factories producing enamelware for domestic use and export.
