Chinese Cloisonné Tea Cup: Traditional Beijing Craftsmanship
€67.08
A cloisonné piece in the Ming-dynasty Beijing tradition, with vivid enamel colors fixed permanently within fine copper wire partitions after firing.
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Description
Colors fixed by fire sit in their copper-bounded cells, exactly as a craftsperson set them when the enamel cooled for the last time.
Cloisonné is a metalworking and enameling technique with ancient roots in Egypt and Byzantium that entered China during the Yuan dynasty, in the fourteenth century. It was refined over subsequent generations and reached its most celebrated form during the Ming period, particularly under the Xuande Emperor in the fifteenth century. Beijing workshops became the leading center of Chinese cloisonné production, and the technique remained closely associated with imperial patronage for several centuries. The Chinese name for the technique, jingtailan, derives from that imperial era.
This tea cup is built on a copper body shaped to the proportions of a traditional Chinese vessel. Fine copper or brass wire strips are soldered onto the exterior surface to form the partitions, called cloisons, that define each decorative motif. The cells between the wire divisions are then filled by hand with vitreous enamel in multiple colors and fired in a kiln. The surface is ground and polished between firings to produce a smooth, flat finish. The rim receives a final application of gilt.
This is a single tea cup. Specific dimensions, liquid capacity, and weight are not listed. The piece is crafted in Beijing, China, using the traditional cloisonné enameling technique.
Cloisonné objects are fragile and require careful handling and storage. This cup is appropriate for use with tea or as a display piece.
Additional information
| Couleur | Rouge |
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