| The first Oriental pottery making in China was | | | | Occasionally the colors were reversed and white |
| contemporary with the civilization of Rome. It is | | | | flowers were placed on a blue background. |
| one of the oldest of the arts of the Far East and | | | | Toward the end of the Ming period, we find |
| shows a consistent development up to the | | | | additional variety in the technique of color |
| nineteenth century of our era. | | | | decoration and of patterns, and the beginning of |
| The cultural background of China, as well as | | | | polychrome decoration. |
| knowledge of the customs, rituals and religions, | | | | In the Ch'ing dynasty the emperors, K'ang Hsi |
| should be understood to fully appreciate this art | | | | (1662-1722) and his grandson Ch'ien Lung |
| and what it signifies. | | | | (1736-1795), took a tremendous interest in the |
| The symbolism of Chinese decoration is | | | | making of porcelain, and an extensive trade was |
| inexhaustible. There is a story wrapped up in | | | | carried on with European countries. The potters |
| every piece of ornament, understandable only to | | | | of this time reached their greatest height in |
| the student of this art. A bundle of books, for | | | | technical skill. |
| instance, is emblematic of scholarship. | | | | A great variety of porcelains were made, including |
| Ribbons tied in bow-knots on books, wood | | | | the already discussed blue and white pattern, the |
| frames, and baskets of flowers, give to these | | | | most typical of which was the familiar hawthorn |
| emblems a religious character. The dragon, a | | | | jar, showing the hawthorn blossom on a |
| monster of great significance, is emblematic of | | | | background that imitated a pattern of crackled |
| divine power. The Chinese are by nature fond of | | | | ice. |
| flowers and all natural beauty. | | | | The design symbolized the passing of winter and |
| The styles of the potter's art in China are | | | | the coming of spring. These jars were presented |
| designated by the names of the reigning | | | | as gifts along with on the Chinese New Year's |
| dynasties, of which the last two, the Ming and | | | | day, which occurred a little later in the spring than |
| Ch'ing, are the most important to the decorator | | | | ours. They were filled with candy, tea or |
| of today because they are practically the only | | | | preserved ginger. |
| styles of which examples are still available to the | | | | Polychrome decoration of enamel colors of |
| general public. The earlier productions are found | | | | various delicate shades painted on the original |
| only in museums or in valuable private collections. | | | | glazed porcelain picture frames resulted in the |
| The important dynasties in which pottery and | | | | most glorious creations. The enamel paints were |
| porcelains were produced are as follows: | | | | applied to the surface of the original glazed piece |
| 960-1127: Northern Sung: Literature and printing. | | | | and made more permanent by means of re-firing |
| 1127-1280: Southern Sung: Golden Age of | | | | at a temperature lower than the original firing, as |
| landscape painting and pottery. Earliest porcelains | | | | the enamel colors could not stand the high degree |
| made to imitate bronze form. | | | | of heat necessary for firing the body of the piece |
| 1280-1368: Yuan-Mongol: Follows tradition. | | | | itself. |
| 1368-1643: Ming: Art follows past models especially | | | | The potters at this period created the porcelains |
| T'ang Dynasty. | | | | known to us in the French terms of "Famille |
| 1644-1851: Ch'ing: Manchu emperors - Great age | | | | Noire," "Famille Verte," and the "Famille Hose," |
| of porcelains, jades, and cut stones. | | | | which are used to designate the porcelains with |
| The two last Chinese dynasties were those that | | | | the enameled colored decorations applied, the |
| influenced the western art to a great extent in | | | | predominating background colors being, |
| the eighteenth century. These two are known as | | | | respectively, black, green, and rose. |
| the Ming (1368-1643) and Ch'ing (1644-1851). | | | | Such a variety of decorative designs and amazing |
| During the Ming dynasty all the arts were greatly | | | | colors have never been equaled, and the |
| encouraged. In the making of porcelain a great | | | | decorations include a great variety of flower |
| variety of colors used-plain colored glazes, which | | | | patterns in their natural colorings placed on the |
| up to this time furnished the chief decoration on | | | | background colors described above. |
| engraved picture frames, became less popular as | | | | Other patterns were made showing scenes of |
| monochrome pattern decorations were developed. | | | | domestic life, court scenes, historical and |
| This was the period of the blue and white | | | | mythological subjects, the familiar dragon and |
| porcelains, in which flower patterns in several | | | | phoenix bird of the most gorgeous plumage, |
| shades of blue were placed on a cream colored | | | | landscapes, sacred mountains, butterflies, insects, |
| field and the whole covered with a glaze of a | | | | the Buddhist emblems and many others too |
| very faint bluish tinge. | | | | numerous to mention. |