You can also become an expert in the identification of blue and white porcelain, don’t believe this article

Blue-and-white porcelain originated in the Tang Dynasty, until the Yuan Dynasty began to become everyone for the call of exquisite utensils.From Yuan Dynasty to Qing Dynasty, blue-and-white porcelain showed its rich characteristics in every era.You can’t miss the curio market unless you know the blue and white materials used in these times. You can also be a half-expert.Let’s study together today!

_ “The Theory of Reading Porcelain”

The three-pot Pegasus Foundation

In the history of ceramics, the different blue-and-white glaze tones on the blue-and-white porcelain have their own unique features.the Tang Dynasty (the Tang Dynasty)618-907) is the origin of blue glaze ceramics, blue-and-white porcelain at this time first seen in the prototype, to the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) is more brilliant than bright (1368-1644(c), (c), (c) (c)1644-1911The continuous development of the two dynasties has become one of the largest-burning varieties in the history of Chinese ceramics.Among them, the application of different kinds of cobalt materials can be described as blue-and-white hair color is an important key.

Qing Kang Xi, Qing Hua, Bo Gu, Kaiguang, Deli, Guanyin Bottle and Flower Bird, Guanyin Bottle

The earliest use of cobalt materials can be traced back to BC2000It is known that it was used as a blue colorant in West Asia at that time.But in Chinese archaeological excavations, only from the Warring States Period (BC)475-221At the beginning of the cultural relics of the period, there were traces of cobalt blue on the glass beads and instruments, which, according to their shape and workmanship, were most likely from Western Asia rather than something made in China.

Mingwanli blue-and-white seahorse with dragon pattern plum vase

Except for the glass process, there was no blue glaze ceramics in China until Tang Dynasty.On the road of ancient Chinese ceramic civilization, blue glaze appeared almost at the latest in all kinds of colored glaze.In the eyes of the ancients, blue is really not an auspicious color, but everywhere with blue, a little bit of horror.In particular, the dark blue is the coldest color in the blue system.The name of the evil spirit in the Buddhist scriptures is called Lan Fu, the statue is often painted on the face of the blue, with its color bluff people;The examination paper in ancient rural test has been defaced or not procedures, the examiner will use blue pen to write clear punishment, known as the “blue bill”;Tang people in “Youyang Zu · Insect” wrote: “Blue snake, the first big poison…. The south of the first combined poison, known as the blue medicine, drugs stand dead.” Listening to the horror.

The social role of literature is always hard to get rid of, so before the Tang Dynasty, we have not found the slightest sign of blue glaze.From the accidental nature of burning, although blue is most likely to appear, but the craftsman may not want to dig out any “ominous” blue glaze products, so this situation continues until the three-colored Tang Dynasty blue glaze burst.

“In Tang Dynasty, the silk road was prosperous, and the cobalt material was introduced into China, and used as one of the ceramic glaze materials. It was used as decorative glaze on low-temperature pottery with other high-lead copper-green glaze and iron-brown glaze at that time. After firing, the glaze was bright and colorful, and the glaze was covered with small pieces.” Thus the creation of world-famous three-colored pottery.

Tang tricolour phoenix head pot, Met Art Museum, USA

Tang Sancai Ma Luoyang City, Henan Province Guan Lin Tang Tomb unearthed, Luoyang Museum collection

The three-color blue glaze color is full and bright, and yellow, green, white and other colors parallel, changeful, unexpected.It is often said that”Three colors plus blue, the value of the city”, but I am afraid that the present people are looking at a new look, it is not as strong as the people of the Tang Dynasty at that time their own feelings.

Tang Tri-color is an attempt, after which the ancient Chinese began to accept the blue glaze.The song people advocate the minimalist aesthetics, the song porcelain glaze pays attention to warm and smooth, the pursuit of tranquility reflects simplicity and elegance, but this also makes the cobalt blue material in the ceramic development of a state of stagnation.Until the Yuan Dynasty, in the grassland culture, the blue and white blue and white Mongolian to the wolf white deer totem belief _ as blue sky, white means pure good.Under the adoration of the ruler, blue-and-white porcelain with blue glaze as its main object of appreciation has flourished since then, and it has created the highest peak in the history of ceramics.

Yuan Qing Hua Gu Zi downhill picture pot

Yuan Qing Hua ZhaoJun plug can, Japan Deguang Art Museum, Tibet

Yuan Qing Hua Wei Chigong Savior Canister, Boston Museum of Art, USA

The cobalt material used in the Yuan Dynasty came from Persia, which was called “Su Ma Li Qing” or “Su Bo Mud Green”. Its iron content was high and it was rich in divergence. After firing, the green flowers had rust-like black and brown spots on the glaze, and the spots were sunken into the tyre, showing rich color and bright visual effect.

2017 Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction Ming Xuande blue-and-white mackerel pattern, ten edge rhomboid plate

Qing Hua peacock cave stone peony pattern plate in the 15th and 16th centuries of Ming Dynasty

By the Ming Dynasty, “Su Ma Li Qing” was expected to be in Yongle (1403-1425), Xuande (1426-1435), by Zheng He’s fleet of ships to the West introduced to China.In addition, the strict supervision of the Imperial Kiln Factory at that time led to the deep color of the forever and the Xuanqing flowers, such as precious stone blue, the later dynasty more to its Guigao, and has a “hair of the ancient, a generation of strange flowers” reputation.

Compared with imported cobalt materials, domestic cobalt materials are valued for their several sea bans during the Hongwu period (1368-1369).But this cobalt material contains high manganese content, light tone, hair color is also good and bad, so in the Yongxuan period blue and white porcelain production is not taken seriously.As far as Chenghua (1465-1487) and Zhengde (1506-1521) were concerned, the “equal green” (or “Pitang green”) produced by Leping, Jiangxi Province, was the main source of the glaze.As the “equal green” of the better, less miscellaneous quality, the firing of the blue and white color blending elegant, stable color, and a sense of obscurity, the achievement of this period blue and white porcelain unique features.

Chenghua Qinghua Palace

In addition to Leping, Jiangxi also produces a kind of cobalt material called “pebble green”.Its hair color black, most of the people’s kiln fired green flowers used at that time.But in the years of Jiajing and Wanli, a kind of “Hui Qing” from Central Asia, Xinjiang and Yunnan was difficult to be used alone, so it needed to be mixed with domestic pebble blue to be used.By adjusting its mixing ratio, this kind of green material has the upper green, the middle green cent.If the ratio of Hui Qing is higher than that of Shi Qing, then its blue and white hair color is purple and gorgeous;On the contrary, it is slightly gray-blue.

Qinghua to the Ming Dynasty, and in the Kangxi (1662-1722) another peak.At that time, we mainly selected Zhejiang materials produced in Shaoxing, Jinhua and Quzhou of Zhejiang Province, and painted them with the method of dividing the water into two parts, so that the finished products had clear blue color, clear structure and rich three-dimensional sense.

Qing Dynasty blue and white alum red water dragon pattern plate a pair

Qing Qianlong blue and white silkworm printing plate for longevity, a pair

After careful observation and comparison, this process can not only train the eye’s perceptual ability, but also enhance his understanding of the style of each dynasty and the connotation of aesthetic interest.