THE ENDURING BEAUTY OF BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN (Part 1)

Chinese blue and white porcelain, especially that produced during the Ming and Ch`ing dynasties, is highly prized by collectors. Yet this porcelain had a humble origin and everyday crockery for the Chinese, thousands of years ago.

As far back as 2,500 BC, painted earthenware cups and bowls were being produced in the northern districts of China. Over the years the porcelain got more and more refined and reached its perfection during the Ming dynasty.

EARLY MING  (1368)

The first emperor of the Ming dynasty took a keen interest in this porcelain. He commissioned special factories for the production of the most superior quality porcelain and twenty kilns were set up in Nanking, the capital.

Beside these, commercial kilns made blue and white for local use.

Some kilns also started production of export quality wares for the Southeast Asian and Western markets. In the latter, designs and shapes that were foreign to the Chinese were introduced to cater to the taste of their customers.

Kendis (SEAsian drinking vessels ) are a typical example of non-Chinese ware produced during this time. Then there are little covered boxes or small jars that were probably intended for the Western markets and were used for storing medicines or perfumes.

THE DISTINCTIVE COBALT BLUE PAINT

North China had a head start in the production of porcelain because its basic ingredient china clay or kaolin was mined from the Kaoling mountain in this region.

Initially the vessels that were made of clay were rather crude and porous. But the worker learnt to apply a hard glaze on them that not only enhanced their beauty, but made more suitable for liquids.

Besides the quality of its porcelain, what distinguishes Chinese blue and white from similar porcelain produced elsewhere, is its rich blue. This was achieved by using cobalt, a deep-blue colouring matter, derived from a hard silver-white metal with several alloys mixed in it.

The white  body made of china clay was first and dried. Then cobalt was used to paint the design on the body. The body was then dipped in a glaze made of powered felspar and fired in the kiln.

During the firing process, the clay became hard porcelain and the glaze gave it a smooth, transparent coating. The cobalt which was initially a dark grey, turned to a deep blue.
In the larger factories, there was a fine division of  labour. Each worker was set a separate task. One prepared the clay, one ground the colour and another moulded the pieces. even when painting  the design, one man specialised in painting flowers and another, the birds.