The finest quality of blue and red painted under the glaze were made during the Tsing dynasty, though during the Ching-hwa period (1465-1488) of the Ming dynasty many good pieces having this decoration must have been manufactured, as the mark of that reign is frequently found in reproductions. Even Kang-he and Yung-ching copies have the Ching-hwa mark.
The illustration—a conical Vase with short neck—shows the four-claw dragons of the sky. These are drawn in blue, as far as the head and body are concerned; the scales are in a soft red. The curious forms meant to indicate clouds are in blue, whilst the fireballs are in red. Variations occur where the nebulæ are in red, or even the whole under-glaze may be covered with a bright coral-coloured ground, with the decoration in blue. When this is so the pieces are classified as "coral-red." Again, amongst the various shades of red and brown under the glaze some are found in peach-coloured red. These form a class of "peach ware." Notice the care with which the scales on the dragons are drawn, and even from the photograph the white seems wonderfully pure. Yung-ching period.
The dragon decoration sometimes represents the li or dragon of the sea swimming in the water or rising from the waves. It was from such a dragon that Fuh-hi (2852-2738 B.C.) learnt and developed the eight diagrams or symbols called the Pa-kwa, which see under "Symbols." The Pa-kwa is used for decoration, usually as a raised design, seldom as a mark. The dragon is never used as a mark.
RED UNDER THE GLAZE.
This magnificent, tall, cylindrical Vase is an example of red—rouge de fer—under the glaze, with enamel colours in exquisite harmony applied over the glaze. The merest glance will reveal how artistically the decorator applied his design to the surface at his disposal. Each branch, each leaf, has its value in the scheme of ornamentation. The surface is well covered, but there is no overcrowding. The Vase is of exquisite proportions, decorated on pure white glaze with a bold design of Ho-Ho birds, the plumage of rouge de fer, green, yellow, and aubergine; one bird is partly hidden by rocks drawn in various greens, aubergine, and blue, whilst springing from the back are large flowering branches of the peony flowers and blossoms. The drawing throughout is of the highest merit. The flowers and boughs are shown in yellow, blue, aubergine, creamy white, and black. Underneath the rocks and on the left of the large bird is a large peony in rouge de fer and foliage in various greens, whilst on the right are two other flowers, one of rouge de fer and the other of fine stippled yellow with an aubergine centre. The rest of the vase is decorated with a bold design of flowering peach-bloom branches and other large flowers in deep rouge de fer, aubergine, green, and yellow; the neck, which is divided from the body of the vase by a narrow black band, contains peonies and other flowers decorated in colours similar to the remainder of the vase. Period, Kang-he.
XVII
CLOBBER
WARE, OR
REDECORATED
PORCELAIN
CHAPTER XVII
CLOBBER WARE, OR REDECORATED PORCELAIN
Many lovely specimens of blue and white with the Kang-he marks, with the double rings or with the leaf symbol inside the double rings under the glaze, genuine specimens of old Kang-he, have been irretrievably spoilt by being plastered over with thick enamels of red, green, blue, &c. The old English word "clobber" means a paste to conceal cracks in shoes, and the pity of the clobber decoration was that the enamels, having been burnt in, are to all intents and purposes irremovable. Before me, as I write, is a Kang-he vase with a leaf symbol within the double circle, showing a real old Kang-he blue and white production, but unfortunately the clobberer has plastered coloured enamel over the blue decoration, now faintly visible, and only where a transparent green or pink glaze has been applied; the rest is absolutely hidden by opaque glazes of rose and yellow, white, lilac, and blue, until the character of the Oriental piece has been entirely destroyed. The number of pieces so spoiled seemed to indicate that there was a demand for clobber ware, or that, as we noted, blue and white was not popular, or that it was imported for redecoration in the absence of white ware which could be used for the same purpose. Chinese porcelain in its white state was freely imported into Europe and decorated in the factories of Holland, France, Germany, and Italy, as well as in this country.