Chinese porcelain - elegance of form and elegance

Even people far from history know that between the words "porcelain" and "China" there is a very close relationship. It was in this country that they first learned how to make fine and elegant things from ordinary clay.

Chinese porcelain was invented in the VI-VII century, althoughhistorian scholars from the Middle Kingdom argue that this event occurred 400 years earlier. A variety of clay products were actually made long before the invention of porcelain, but it was in the 6th-7th century that the masters learned by improving technology to obtain products that differed from their predecessors by subtlety and extraordinary whiteness. As a result, Chinese porcelain became the most carefully protected secret of the Middle Kingdom. Crockery from porcelain, of course, was sold to foreigners, but production technology remained a state secret, and the disclosure of its secrets was punishable by death.

The heyday of the production of porcelain products in Chinacame in the XV-XVI century, when the technology of manufacture reached the highest degree of perfection. And it was at this time that Chinese porcelain appeared in European countries, where it was brought by sailors and traders from Portugal. Products from porcelain could afford only rich people, not without reason the very word "porcelain" means "imperial". And in our time, Chinese chinaware of modern production can be afforded by far not poor people - one medium-sized vase costs from three hundred dollars. But connoisseurs are willing to pay more substantial sums. After all, porcelain vases, jugs and cups are not just utensils, but works of art.

Китайский фарфор традиционно покрывают глазурью different shades and degree of transparency, which allows to give the surface a special matte shine. At the same time, different colors were used in different historical periods, so connoisseurs and specialists distinguish porcelain products of "green", "blue" and "pink" families. It is noteworthy that the Chinese craftsmen in the mural specialized in any one kind of ornament - for example, clear lines and contours, landscapes, faces. Therefore, one product was painted by several people. And if you remember that to make any object you had to find and sort clay, rinse it, make dishes and burn, it turns out that several hundred people could work on one product.

The peak of mastery was the Chinese boneporcelain, which is distinguished by a special whiteness and so thin that it literally shines through. The secret of this porcelain is to add 50 percent of bone ash to the substances that are commonly used to create porcelain - such as kaolin and quartz.

It is interesting that after the formation of the PRCthe government of the country began to restore old and destroyed porcelain factories, while actively attracting famous masters to work. In addition, work is under way to restore the old methods of roasting and lost dye recipes, so that modern Chinese porcelain is fully consistent with the old traditions.