![]() ![]() Chrysanthemum petals are carved on the shoulders, and interlocked lotus below. The white glaze is clear and mild, with a touch of yellowness. The vase features a short, narrow neck, round shoulders, and tapered body, which is a typical Ding prunus vase from the Song Dynasty. White-glazed prunus vase with carved pattern (Palace Museum in Beijing) The downside is that the glaze has to be scratched off the rim of the utensil beforehand to prevent sticking. This allows more items to be loaded for each firing, saves fuel, and reduces the rate of deformation, thereby significantly lowering cost and boosting productivity. The raw plates and bowls are stacked upside-down in the kiln, with ring-shaped clay partitions between them. To monitor and control the temperature, makers of Ding ware place clay scraps at different locations in the firing chamber, and constantly checked their changes in the firing process through a slot on the kiln door. ![]() This item is hailed as one of the best Ding wares ever made.įiring is a critical step in the production of chinaware. “Tear marks,” a hallmark of Ding ware, can be seen on its outside wall, and a dragon encircled by clouds is clearly impressed inside. This platter is thinly and evenly shaped, and covered in yellowish-white glaze. White-glazed platter impressed with cloud and dragon pattern (Shanghai Museum) Such heat results in a fine, firm texture, and the titanium dioxide in the raw material mixture gives the glaze an ivory semblance that appeals to Chinese aesthetics. Ding ware is baked at a temperature of over 1,300oC, compared with 1,250oC for most other ceramics. The sublime-quality glaze of Ding ware is attributed to its firing technique and the ceramic raw materials. Its glaze is smooth, sleek, and white with a smatter of warm hues, reminiscent of the fair skin of young girls or Hotan jade (a white jade from Xinjiang whose fine texture earns it the nickname “mutton fat”). What set Ding ware apart from other porcelain was its paper-thin body, jade-white color, and chime-like sound on taps. Their zenith came in the Northern Song, when Ding ware was designated for use by the royal family, and therefore sold like hot cakes. Kilns there continued operation over more than 500 years, from the Tang to Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties. It was named so because its production was based in Dingzhou (now Jianzi Village, Quyang County of Hebei Province). It was believed to be fired in a mold before being further sculptured.ĭing Ware was among the top five porcelain wares in the Song Dynasty, and was the only one of white color among them. The ivory-colored porcelain pillow is shaped like a child lying on his stomach, with his arms folded beneath his chin and feet tipping up in the air. It is usually imprinted with decorative patterns produced by various techniques.īoy-shaped pillow (Palace Museum in Beijing) DATING back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and peaking in the Northern Song (960-1127) and Jin (1115-1234) periods, Ding ware is famed for its thin clay body, pure white glaze, and firm texture.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |