Chinese White ware ONE
September 1st 2009 08:19
Chinese White ware
It's not just "Porcelain"
Actually a lot of what people think is porcelain is actually a blend of porcelain and stoneware grade clays. Even the whitest porcelain usually seems to have some kind of clear glaze.
The white color is a combination of a pale clay white slip and a clear or white glaze with the slip being omitted sometimes under very opaque white glazes. Clear glazes developed from white glazes that turned translucent in firing. Yes before they are fired "clear" glaze are white or cream. The (off) white coloring is a combination of ash feldspar or limestone to varying degrees. Western "bone" china used calcium from animal bones instead of limestone.
Celadon is actually a range of colors and tints: gray to green to blue.
The actual form often has carved or molded details or patterns are made by scratching thru white slip to the clay body and then glazing over that.
The oldest Chinese ceramics with white glaze date back to the Sui and Tang eras from the kilns of Xing and Gong Xian.
This is another famous type : the Phoenix head Ewer form which was glazed in others colors.
The most exquisite White ware came from the Ding Kilns of the Song Dynasty.
The next blog in this series will be about Later white Chinese white ware then we'll be covering Thai Korean and Vietnamese with possibly a final look at the differences between Momoyama and Modern Minoyaki.
It's not just "Porcelain"
Actually a lot of what people think is porcelain is actually a blend of porcelain and stoneware grade clays. Even the whitest porcelain usually seems to have some kind of clear glaze.
The white color is a combination of a pale clay white slip and a clear or white glaze with the slip being omitted sometimes under very opaque white glazes. Clear glazes developed from white glazes that turned translucent in firing. Yes before they are fired "clear" glaze are white or cream. The (off) white coloring is a combination of ash feldspar or limestone to varying degrees. Western "bone" china used calcium from animal bones instead of limestone.
Celadon is actually a range of colors and tints: gray to green to blue.
The actual form often has carved or molded details or patterns are made by scratching thru white slip to the clay body and then glazing over that.
The oldest Chinese ceramics with white glaze date back to the Sui and Tang eras from the kilns of Xing and Gong Xian.
White glazed Jar from the Xing kiln
Liao Era Phoenix Head Ewer
This is another famous type : the Phoenix head Ewer form which was glazed in others colors.
Chinese Ding Kiln White Bowl
The most exquisite White ware came from the Ding Kilns of the Song Dynasty.
The next blog in this series will be about Later white Chinese white ware then we'll be covering Thai Korean and Vietnamese with possibly a final look at the differences between Momoyama and Modern Minoyaki.
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