Set of 5 Miniature Cloisonné Vases: The Five Elements

Description

Five small vessels stand together, each surface a dense grid of fine wire cells filled with fired enamel that shifts register and depth under changing light.

Cloisonné is among the oldest decorative metalworking techniques, with documented origins in ancient Egypt and the Byzantine Empire and significant further development in China from the Yuan dynasty onward. Chinese cloisonné reached its classical form during the Ming and Qing dynasties, when imperial workshops in Beijing refined the process of applying bronze wire partitions to copper forms, filling the resulting cells with vitreous enamel paste, and firing and grinding the surface to a final polish.

Each vase in this matched set is produced using the traditional cloisonné method: a copper or brass base form is fitted with fine metal wire bent to define the outlines of decorative motifs, and the cells are filled with vitreous enamel paste in successive layers, fired between each application. The finished surface is ground flat and polished. The set includes five vases, each decorated with vibrant traditional patterns in a palette consistent with classical workshop production.

Dimensions of individual vases are not listed; contact the seller for exact measurements and total set footprint. Materials: copper or brass base, metal cloisonné wire, vitreous enamel. Enamel surfaces are durable under normal handling but susceptible to cracking under sharp direct impact. Wipe clean with a soft dry cloth; do not immerse in water.

Sold as a matched set of five vases. Intended for decorative display; not designed for functional use with water or food.