Embracing Color: Enamel in Chinese Decorative Arts, 1300–1900

Known as Qingbai, literally bluish-white, this type of porcelain features a jade-like glaze surface, often with fluent carving decoration, such as vegetal scrolls on this vase. Qingbai porcelain was a dominant product from Jingdezhen, a major ceramic center in south China, from the twelfth to the thirteenth century. These objects were not only widely produced for the domestic market but also for export to Japan, Southeast Asia, and as far as East Africa.

Ding ware white porcelain is one of the most cherished ceramic types in China. This plate was impressed with a premade mold before the firing. Its delicate pattern of two deer galloping amid a floral ground enhances its visual appeal.

Inspired by Islamic aesthetics, blue-and-white porcelain expanded the color range of Chinese ceramics. Colored porcelain was disdained as a vulgar product among art connoisseurs during the late fourteenth century, when monochromatic wares were most popular.

This box exemplifies the highest quality of cloisonné produced by the imperial Ming workshop. In addition to stylized lotus scrolls commonly seen on earlier works, it features a naturalistic depiction of flowers and fruits. To create the subtle color variations on the leaves, artists used a sophisticated process of mixing yellow, green, and red enamels. These representations date this piece to the mid-fifteenth century, most likely the legendary Jingtai era (1450–57)—a golden age of cloisonné enamel production in China.

Fahua ceramics share technical parallels with cloisonné enamels, as both media feature enclosures filled in with a colored glaze or enamel. Known as alkaline, the glazes used on fahua wares form a separate group, marked by a higher potassium-to-lead ratio. In this mixture, copper oxide creates the bright turquoise color that is also ubiquitous in cloisonné.

Chinese potters in the north started to experiment with polychrome overglaze decoration during the late twelfth century. While objects with brownish-black ornaments were more commonly found in this period, multicolored wares began to make up a small part of the region’s ceramic production. These objects feature bold and expressive motifs, often in green and red, such as the peony on this bowl.

The overglaze red and green enamels on this bowl add a colorful touch to the lively dragons painted in underglaze blue. Produced by the imperial workshop, this object demonstrates the courtly taste for color that developed in the fifteenth century.

Known as fahua (literally designs with borders), ceramics such as this one share a visual similarity with cloisonné enamel. A white clay paste (or slip) is used to create the outlines of motifs and then filled in with brightly colored enamels. Produced in both north (Shanxi) and south (Jingdezhen) China, fahua ware gained popularity in the late fifteenth to the sixteenth century, slightly later than cloisonné. This elegant work was designed as a small fish bowl or container for paper scrolls on a scholar’s desk.

This lovely scalloped dish depicts stylized lotus scrolls set in a swirling circular rhythmic pattern. Such design is classic among early Ming imperial works, including ceramics, lacquer ware, and textiles. The surfaces of early cloisonné works like this dish often feature vivid colors (red, yellow, lapis blue, white, and green), set against a turquoise blue background.

This candlestick originally included a tube-shaped candleholder that rose from the center of the dish. A metal medallion was later added to cover the missing part, transforming the piece into a stem dish. Its pattern styles and enamel coloring identify it as an early Ming cloisonné work.

Judging from the pattern style and translucent enamels, especially the dark purple, the central part of this vase was a jar from the second half of the fifteenth century. But the enamel over its trumpet-shaped neck and foot ring has a dull and grayish tone, likely from the late sixteenth century. It is not unusual to see such combination of parts from different periods when cloisonné came to be favored in the antique market. These “fusion” works, like this vase, were often embellished with an apocryphal mark of Jingtai (1450–57), a legendary golden period of Chinese cloisonné.

Apocryphal mark on the base: “Made in the Jingtai period of the Great Ming”

Ceremonial mandalas were used in later forms of Buddhism, including Esoteric Buddhism, which flourished in Tibet from the tenth century and was influential at the Chinese court after the fourteenth. This base once supported a three-dimensional mandala that probably comprised small sculptures, models of temples and stupas, or colored sands. The decoration combines lotus flowers (Buddhist symbols of purity) at the top with the Eight Buddhist Treasures at the sides.

This incense burner features two types of enameling: cloisonné on the body and three legs, and champlevé on the two handles. The latter method requires artists to carve enclosures into the metal body that were then filled with enamel, instead of using copper wires. Much rarer than cloisonné in China, champlevé enamel appears to have been only briefly experimented with in the imperial workshop during the fifteenth century.

Resting on three feet in the form of elephant heads, this incense burner features three long-snout dragons circling its body. Derived from Indic makara, this type of mythical creature was introduced into China via Tibetan Buddhism from the thirteenth century. Popular in the Ming court, makara dragons were widely found on stone carvings, porcelain, and cloisonné works throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Replete with Buddhist iconography, this large bowl was likely intended to hold offerings on an altar table. The exterior features bold lotus flowers in alternating colors, while the interior shows the Eight Buddhist Treasures: wheel, conch, parasol, canopy, flower, precious vase, two fish, and endless knot. At the bottom of the bowl, two carp swim in a pond, its dark waters contrasting with the luminous gilding of the cloisonné wires.

This bowl combines Buddhist and Daoist symbols in an unusual composition. Set among lotus scrolls, auspicious symbols include not only the Eight Buddhist Treasures but also miscellaneous emblems, such as three peaks, swastikas (symbolizing eternity), ingots, and rhinoceros horns. The roundel on the center of the interior base is a stylized symbol of taiji (or yin-yang), a primary force of the universe in Chinese philosophy.

In the sixteenth century, there was a general decline in the quality of official wares in all media, including cloisonné. The enamels tend to be duller in color and the patterns appear to be less refined in comparison to the works from the previous century. In the last century of effective Ming-dynasty rule, official workshops were beginning to be run more like commercial enterprises with attention centered on productivity and efficiency.

On this large six-lobed basin, an immortal and his attendants float on multicolored clouds above a misty island temple. Dressed in yellow, the central figure is playing pitch-pot (touhu) by throwing arrows into a vase on the terrace below. The colorful and complex composition and the use of clouds warp the viewer’s sense of perspective and create an otherworldly feel befitting the Daoist subject.

Cloisonné was used in the production of luxury furniture starting in the sixteenth century. The colorful birds and flowers decorating this seat would have added an extra touch of brilliance in a blossoming garden.

Barrel-shaped garden seats, often made of wood or rattan, can be traced to the twelfth century. Porcelain examples, ideal for summertime, gained popularity in the sixteenth century with the development of a ceramic technique for firing large pieces. Here, rings of embossed dots around the top and bottom recall prototypes with fastenings for leather or fabric seat covers.

As the word for gourd is a homophone of “fortune and prosperity” in Chinese, the fruit became a popular motif in eighteenth-century art. Here, meticulously woven silk threads represent ten gourds growing out of lush vines. The large gourd at center is imbued with additional auspicious meaning. Over a geometric-patterned background, the artist added two Chinese characters that read “grand luck” (da ji) and images of the Eight Buddhist Treasures.

On view from May 20, 2023–March 24, 2024

On view from May 20, 2023–March 24, 2024

Beyond the appeal of its sinuous form and elegant blue-and-white decoration, this gourd-shaped vase would have been treasured for the layers of auspicious meaning encoded in its decoration. The image of gourds on vines is a rebus, or visual word puzzle, for “fortune and prosperity through ten thousand generations” (fulu wandai), while the combination of bats and gourds forms a second rebus for “good fortune and wealth” (fulu).

This table screen is among a very rare group of cloisonné enamel paintings of landscapes produced by the imperial Ming workshop. The blues and greens of the landscape evoke a golden age of Chinese painting. The meticulous and elegant treatment of copper wires to represent traditional brushwork demonstrates the successful application of Chinese taste and design to cloisonné, a technique imported from the West one century earlier.

Many animal patterns appear on decorative arts, including cloisonné enamel, from the sixteenth century onward. These creatures were often imbued with auspicious meanings. Here, cranes symbolize longevity, and peafowls represent fortune. Some of them even created visual puns by using homophones. One side of this vase features magpie, deer, and monkeys, which represent “giving great wealth and bestowing a noble title.”

The booming of the antique market offered new prototypes for cloisonné works during the late Ming dynasty. Shapes and patterns based on ancient ritual bronzes were widely used, but the enamels created a colorful effect never before seen on earlier works.

Cloisonné is the technique of creating designs on metal vessels with colored glass paste placed within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons (French for "partitions"), the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. The glass paste, or enamel—which gets its color from metallic oxides—is painted into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Enamels tend to shrink during firing, and the process is repeated several times to fill in the design. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is rubbed until the edges of the cloisons are visible.

Known as gu, this type of ritual vessel was used for pouring wine during the Shang dynasty (ca. 1600–1046 B.C.). The earliest objects were cast in bronze, while later artists adopted the shape for pieces in a variety of media. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the gu beaker and other archaistic types were produced in cloisonné and painted enamels and were repurposed as display items or flower vases in environments where their allusions to earlier ritual functions were appreciated.

The double bottle form of this pair of flasks exemplifies a playful new design that appeared in the eighteenth century. Animals depicted on both sides deliver auspicious wishes: dragons and tigers are signs of vigorous power, while horses, monkeys, and a seal hung on a tree represent a visual pun for “bestowing an official title immediately.”

The double bottle form of this pair of flasks exemplifies a playful new design that appeared in the eighteenth century. Animals depicted on both sides deliver auspicious wishes: dragons and tigers are signs of vigorous power, while horses, monkeys, and a seal hung on a tree represent a visual pun for “bestowing an official title immediately.”

This type of vessel, with two narrow vertical compartments connected by a carving of a mythical bird, is known as a “champion vase” in Western writings. The name may be a loose translation of yingxiongbei, or “hero’s cup,” referring to the eagle (ying) and the bear (xiong) supporting it. Based on an archaic bronze type that can be traced back to the second century BCE, champion vases were revived beginning in the sixteenth century and were subsequently manufactured in different media, including cloisonné, jade, and rhinoceros horn.

The term “champion vase,” which appears only in Western scholarship, refers to vessels that have two narrow vertical compartments connected by a carved mythical bird. It may be a loose translation of yingxiong bei, or hero’s cup, referring to the eagle (ying) and the bear (xiong) upon which such vessels stand. Based on an archaic bronze vessel type that can be traced back to the second century B.C., champion vases were revived beginning in the sixteenth century and were manufactured in the following centuries in different media, including jade, cloisonné enamel, and rhinoceros horn.

The origin of this vessel, often called a “champion vase” in Western scholarship, remains unclear. It is possible that the term is a loose translation of the phrase yingxiong bei, or hero’s cup, a reference to the bird (ying) and bear (xiong) depicted on the front. The dragon-headed scroll pattern that covers the surface is based on imagery found during the Shang (ca. 1600–1046 B.C.) and Zhou (1054–256 B.C.) dynasties. It was most likely adapted from woodblock-print illustrations of antiquities.

Ancient ritual bronzes often served as prototypes for later metalwork, particularly those with ritual or ceremonial functions. The shape of this piece is based on an archaic tripod vessel known as a ding, which was used for holding or serving food and other offerings; however, this object functioned as an incense burner. The six-character mark on the raised gilt-bronze plaque identifies that it was from the imperial workshop in Beijing.

During the Qianlong period, artisans working with cloisonné enamels expanded their repertoire to create three-dimensional representations of birds and other animals, depictions that have a long history in Chinese bronze casting. These parakeets could have been loosely modeled on prints of bronze antiquities, or inspired by the famous five-colored parakeet painted by Song-dynasty emperor Huizong (r. 1100–1126) as an auspicious omen. The polychrome possibilities of cloisonné enamels lent themselves particularly well to this colorful subject.

During the Qianlong period, artisans working with cloisonné enamels expanded their repertoire to create three-dimensional representations of birds and other animals, depictions that have a long history in Chinese bronze casting. These parakeets could have been loosely modeled on prints of bronze antiquities, or inspired by the famous five-colored parakeet painted by Song-dynasty emperor Huizong (r. 1100–1126) as an auspicious omen. The polychrome possibilities of cloisonné enamels lent themselves particularly well to this colorful subject.

A symbol of diligence and fortune, the rooster is a particularly popular Chinese decorative motif. This incense burner has an ingenious design: the hollow body houses the burning incense and the detachable wings serve as the lid, with several small openings on the wings allowing the fragrant smoke to escape.

The “hundred antiques” pattern became popular in China in the seventeenth century. It often features antiques, ornamental vessels, and scholar’s accessories in various media, resulting in a colorful, playful surface. Here, spinach jade represents an ancient bronze tripod with green patina, while cloisonné mimics both an archaic bronze pattern on the left and a contemporary porcelain pattern on the right.

These cups are part of a set of twelve representing the flora of each month of the lunar year. One illustrates a pomegranate tree, associated with the fifth month, while the other features a hare sitting by an osmanthus tree with yellow flowers, representing the eighth month. Each design, finely painted in a combination of underglaze blue and transparent overglaze enamels, is accompanied by a poem on the reverse side.

These cups are part of a set of twelve representing the flora of each month of the lunar year. One illustrates a pomegranate tree, associated with the fifth month, while the other features a hare sitting by an osmanthus tree with yellow flowers, representing the eighth month. Each design, finely painted in a combination of underglaze blue and transparent overglaze enamels, is accompanied by a poem on the reverse side.

With five bats flying among swirling multicolored clouds (qingyun), this dish represents Heaven’s blessings in response to the emperor’s rule. The polychromatic nature of cloisonné enamels lent itself particularly well to the depiction of this auspicious motif. Colorful clouds were depicted in cloisonné since at least the Wanli period (1573–1620), but this design became more ubiquitous in Qing imperial decorative arts. During the Qianlong period, technical innovations in painted enamels, such as the homogeneous pink seen in some of the clouds, were transferred to cloisonné.

The practice of using painted enamels and gilding to imitate the appearance of cloisonné began during the Qianlong reign, a period in which the imitative capacities of enamels were deployed to reproduce a variety of media. Such playful emulations were the result of technical mastery and experimentation, and were encouraged at the Qing imperial workshops.

Reviving a technique that was pioneered in the fifteenth century, the artists who decorated this dish used overglaze enamels to fill in the underglaze blue outlines. While written documents of the period do not use a specific term to refer to this application, it is now known as doucai, or “joined colors.” Reclaiming the technique in the Yongzheng period was a way of showing continuity with lauded enameling traditions of the past, while introducing new layers of visual complexity in the composition of the interior and exterior surfaces of the dish.

The use of gold nanoparticles to create a pink color was a chemical process introduced to Guangzhou artisans by Europeans in the early eighteenth century. By 1716, skilled enamelers were requisitioned to work at the imperial workshops, where this new color was deployed onto ceramic and metal surfaces for courtly consumption. In a technique more usual for glaze application, the enameler has sprayed this pink enamel to create a naturalistic sense of ripening peaches.

This thin, almost translucent bowl represents the height of porcelain manufacture under the Yongzheng emperor. Possibly reflecting the use of paper sketches as models for enamel decoration, the floral design blooms on the exterior surface before wrapping over the rim into the inside of the vessel. The enameler embraced the use of blank space to draw attention to the naturalistic qualities of the painted flowers.

The creation in the late seventeenth century of a range of opaque overglaze enamel colors was one of the most important technological developments in the Chinese porcelain industry. The delicate pink enamel of the blossoms on this dish first appeared in the early eighteenth century during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor (r. 1723–35) and continued to be used during that of the Qianlong Emperor.

Featuring a range of opaque and transparent colors, this vase boasts a complex composition of nine peaches, an auspicious motif expressing a wish for longevity. This design was also used in enameled porcelain produced under the preceding Yongzheng period (1723–35). In this new iteration, the branches and leaves are shown in a denser array, the color of the peaches is brighter, and the number of fruits was often increased from eight to nine.

As the first point of contact between Europe and China, Canton (now Guangzhou) was a center of enamel production and distribution throughout the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. Wares from the city’s workshops, known as “Canton enamels,” commonly featured popular motifs based on court designs from Beijing. One of the most favored examples depicts lively birds and flowers surrounded by a dense floral border. This design can be found on enameled porcelain created for both domestic and export markets.

On the exterior of these bowls, floral scrolls surround four Chinese characters that read “fortune and longevity as you wish” (fu shou ru yi). The interior features a stylized character of longevity encircled by the Eight Buddhist Treasures, symbols that were introduced with Buddhism and are often found in the later decorative arts. Following Chinese tradition, these auspicious signs reveal the bowls were made as birthday gifts. The marks on their bases state that they were commissioned by the Hall of Colorful Flowers, likely a study of a scholar official or an upscale family.

On the exterior of these bowls, floral scrolls surround four Chinese characters that read “fortune and longevity as you wish” (fu shou ru yi). The interior features a stylized character of longevity encircled by the Eight Buddhist Treasures, symbols that were introduced with Buddhism and are often found in the later decorative arts. Following Chinese tradition, these auspicious signs reveal the bowls were made as birthday gifts. The marks on their bases state that they were commissioned by the Hall of Colorful Flowers, likely a study of a scholar official or an upscale family.

Encircled by a tightly arranged geometric and floral border, the center of this dish features auspicious fruits and flowers accompanied by a butterfly. Such openwork design is commonly found on both painted enamel on copper alloy and enameled porcelain in the mid-eighteenth century.

The layering of designs on this dish illustrates the dense and precise decoration that typifies the art of the Qianlong period in China. A short-handled fan with a pheasant perched on a flowering branch fills the center of the open space. The ornamental patterns on the edges of the fan and the rim of the plate are also characteristic of the eighteenth century.

Painted enamel wares were made for both domestic and export markets. The patterns on these works were often filled with traditional Chinese symbolism. The fruits and flowers painted on this dish, which allude to different seasons, are auspicious and convey good wishes.

This dish illustrates a range of Chinese plants, including peonies, narcissus, and orchids. The presence of differently colored blooms on the same peony branch shows evidence of grafting, a practice that was described in China as early as 1034. Although originally made for a Chinese private commission, such dishes would have appealed to Western traders interested in natural history, who acquired plants from local markets and nurseries. By capturing these flowers in enamel, such a dish might have provided a more secure means of bringing home botanical knowledge.

This dish is from a group of rare examples of Chinese painted enamel made for the Japanese market. Written in archaic seal script, the mark on the bottom reads: “made in the period of Man’en.” The period of Man’en, a reign of the Japanese Emperor Komei (1831–1867), only spanned from 1860 through 1861, which helps to date this dish.

This kettle set illustrates the artistic exchange between China and Europe during the eighteenth century. Its form is a typical European design commonly found in silver ware; however, this example was painted with traditional Chinese flower sprays in polychrome enamels over a copper alloy body. Produced in Canton (now Guangzhou), kettle sets like this one were exported to satisfy European tastes for Chinese wares.

Profusely ornate, this vase reflects Chinese interests in European imagery and pictorial techniques during the eighteenth century. Chinese artists used a new palette of opaque enamels to create shading that could replicate Western painting styles. The stippling on the sky and ground, as well as the horizontal lines on the surface of the body of water, may indicate that a European copperplate etching served as the pictorial source for the vignette.

Introduced from Europe, the technique of painted enamel was also commonly used by Chinese makers to decorate local wares, such as this incense set. Three-piece sets like this one appeared in China no later than the thirteenth century and included censers to burn small pieces of incense over burning charcoal. The box would have contained incense woods or balls, and the bottle would have held a pair of chopsticks and a spatula for handling the incense materials.

Introduced from Europe, the technique of painted enamel was also commonly used by Chinese makers to decorate local wares, such as this incense set. Three-piece sets like this one appeared in China no later than the thirteenth century and included censers to burn small pieces of incense over burning charcoal. The box would have contained incense woods or balls, and the bottle would have held a pair of chopsticks and a spatula for handling the incense materials.

Introduced from Europe, the technique of painted enamel was also commonly used by Chinese makers to decorate local wares, such as this incense set. Three-piece sets like this one appeared in China no later than the thirteenth century and included censers to burn small pieces of incense over burning charcoal. The box would have contained incense woods or balls, and the bottle would have held a pair of chopsticks and a spatula for handling the incense materials.

In the early decades of the eighteenth century, artists developed a new palette of opaque enamels that could produce novel decorative effects. In this example, the design mimics the appearance of a vessel with a fine textile tied around it, alluding to the East Asian practice of wrapping gifts in textiles. Wrapped-cloth (baofu) designs were also found on lacquer objects of the period.

In the early decades of the eighteenth century, artists developed a new palette of opaque enamels that could produce novel decorative effects. In this example, the design mimics the appearance of a vessel with a fine textile tied around it, alluding to the East Asian practice of wrapping gifts in textiles. Wrapped-cloth (baofu) designs were also found on lacquer objects of the period.

This octagonal-fluted vase attests to a cycle of artistic exchange across media, regions, and time periods. Realized through the use of modern European glass technology, the design of this vessel was inspired by ninth-century Yue celadon ware. Interestingly, these early Chinese celadon vessels were themselves believed to have been inspired by imported glass vessels from Central and West Asia.

The intense marbleized orange color of this incense burner successfully imitates realgar, an arsenic sulfide mineral used in Chinese traditional medicine. This mineral has long been understood as an antidote to various venoms and as a substance with the ability to ward off evil. By evoking realgar, this vessel would have been thought to be imbued with additional power, making it a highly appreciated item on a scholar’s desk.

Snuff bottles were among the first glass items produced at the Qing imperial workshops and remained popular throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The technique used to achieve the ruby color of the outer layer of glass on this piece can be traced back to ancient Rome and was transmitted to Chinese artisans working in Guangzhou and Beijing in the early eighteenth century. The same recipe was used to color pink enamels of the period.

This snuff bottle displays an opaque white background and poetic inscriptions on its back, which, together with a shared use of enamel, reflects the ties between the glass workshops in Beijing and the kilns at Jingdezhen. Visually, it resembles a small group of eighteenth-century imperial white porcelain with fine enamel painting combining painting and poem. Such porcelains were painted at the court in Beijing rather than at the Jingdezhen kilns farther south.

Clear glass was likely initially produced at the Qing court to create lenses for telescopes and other practical tools before being put to more decorative use through the creation of small bottles, boxes, and vases. Since glass and enamel share a similar chemical composition, the cobalt pigment that lends this vessel its deep blue color was likely also used in enameling of the period.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

The technique of cloisonné is used to create designs on metal vessels by placing colored glass paste within enclosures made of copper or bronze wires, which have been bent or hammered into the desired patterns. Known as cloisons, French for partitions, the enclosures are generally either glued or soldered onto the metal body. Enamel paste, ground from colored glass, is filled into the contained areas of the design. The vessel is usually fired several times at a relatively low temperature, about 800 degrees Celsius. Once this process is completed, the surface of the vessel is polished until the edges of the cloisons are visible, and then to finish the work, gilding is added. The middle row of this sample set demonstrates four steps of cloisonné production, and the surrounding eight pieces of colored glass represent the materials used to make enamel paste.

This small but elegant incense burner embodies both the antiquarian taste and minimalist design sensibility of the Song dynasty. The cylindrical form is based on larger-scale bronze wine containers widely used in the Han dynasty (206 BC to AD 220). The Song designer made this smaller version to accommodate its new function as an incense burner. This reinterpretation of an archaic form made this vessel better suited for personal use on a scholar’s table. The elaborate decoration often found on archaic bronzes was also discarded in favor of horizontal bands. This treatment not only adds visual simplicity, but also enhances handling pleasure. Furthermore, this design reflects a similar taste in contemporary ceramics.

The scrolling design that fills the surface of this box is often called the “fragrant grass” motif in Chinese writings on lacquer. It is closely linked to another pattern featuring abstract scrolls that is popularly known as the “pommel scroll.” Both designs, ubiquitous in carved lacquer, can be traced to abstract patterns in early Chinese lacquers and bronze vessels. The reemergence of this motif during the Song period (960–1279) reflects the fascination with antiquarian imagery that marked this period of Chinese history and the rediscovery of that time of earlier artistic traditions.

Named after a prefecture in Hebei Province in north China, Ding wares were made from the eighth to the thirteenth or fourteenth century, and were popular at the Northern Song (960–1127) court. The shape of this base, which most likely derives from a silver piece, is extraordinarily difficult to make because the neck is so long and slender.

This type of small, bowl-shaped vessel from the imperial kiln of the mid-Ming dynasty has been cherished as the pinnacle of fine Chinese porcelain. The decoration was achieved through a complicated process. First, the design was drawn in cobalt blue on the unfired vessel. After glazing and high-temperature firing, the images were filled in with overglaze enamel pigments and then it was fired at a lower temperature to bring out the vibrant colors. Known as “chicken cups” for their imagery, these vessels convey a core Chinese value: nurturing the young is essential for the continuation of the family line.

This vase features a garden scene of women enjoying fragrant flowers, burning incense, and playing with children. The rich colors, including the deep blue shade, were applied with polychromatic enamels over the glaze. Prior to the late seventeenth century, blue on porcelain was achieved through the use of cobalt under the glaze, as seen on the nearby plate.

This plate exemplifies a transitional stage in polychromatic Chinese porcelain. Blue is still painted with underglaze cobalt, while all the other colors are achieved with overglaze enamel. The plate illustrates a story about a deep bond between music connoisseurs from ancient China. Yu Boya—a legendary qin zither musician active in the sixth century BCE—is moved by insightful comments on his playing by the humble woodcutter Zhong Ziqi, who likened the music to a lofty mountain and a running river.

This large platter exemplifies typical wucai (five-color) ware from the Kangxi period, a golden age of enameled porcelain. The era saw the developed of unprecedented fresh hues and rich varieties of enamel, including the recently invented overglaze blue. The platter most likely depicts the talented writer Pan An (247–300) being showered with fruit. Unusually, the cart pulled by a goat refers to another handsome young man Wei Jie (286–312), even though he is not associated with fruit. The ceramic artist freely combined the tales into a composite scene.

A new technique featuring shading effects, adapted from the method of painting enamel on copper alloy, replaced solid-colored styles and became the mainstream for porcelain decoration in the eighteenth century. Here, the children’s faces have the subtle gradation characteristic of this style, and their clothing is detailed in a wide variety of hues.

Painted enamel was originally limited to European-style objects, but later became a popular design element for traditional products in the Chinese domestic market, such as hand warmers. Made to hold glowing pieces of charcoal embedded in ash (and sometimes incense for a pleasant fragrance), this vessel would have been a source of comfort on a cold day.

This colorful jar follows the traditional enameling technique developed during the fifteenth century. Featuring a solid tone, the overglaze enamels are polychromatic but blue appears only in the underglaze, as seen in the outlines around the jar’s neck, shoulder, and base. The dominant use of green, appearing in different hues on rocks, leaves, and the birds’ feathers, is typical of the period. Wares of this type are often identified in the West with the French term famille verte, or “green family.”

This unique ewer, with its added decoration of a small figure on the handle and its fanciful spout and legs, illustrates the interest in complicated forms found in the eleventh and twelfth centuries in north China. Although they are not listed among the official kilns of the Northern and Southern Song dynasties, historical sources indicate that Yaozhou wares were also produced for imperial use.