Powder blue
China, 1700–25
There is a special category within Kangxi blue and white, namely 'powder blue'. This name refers to a specific technique used to decorate porcelain. Cobalt blue oxide was not applied to the surface of the dried object with a brush but was blown onto it through a hollow pipe that was covered at the opposite end with a piece of gauze. Once the object had been glazed and fired the surface showed tiny dots and patches of blue that suggest depth and create an interesting texture. Before blowing the blue, panels and cartouches could be reserved by covering the surface with paper cutouts of the desired shape. The areas beneath these were still white after firing and were subsequently filled with enamelled decorations, usually of the famille verte type, sometimes in iron red, showing birds, flowering plants, landscapes or figural scenes. Gold could be added in a third firing process but it has usually worn off by now. Powder blue rarely occurs any more after 1725. It was supplanted by 'Batavia Brown', an evenly applied underglaze brown colour with panels that were filled with decorations in the more modern famille rose enamels.
Object 2010C211
Bowl
Provenance: China
Dating: Kangxi period (1662-1722)
Mark: A square shop mark in a double circle, underglaze blue.
Bowl on a footring with a glazed base. Covered with underglaze powder blue. Decorated in various famille verte enamels.
The first reserved golden outlined scalloped and fan-shaped border cartouche is filled with a landscape with houses, trees mountains and a constellation of stars (indicating that this was taking place at night). The second reserved golden outlined scalloped and fan-shaped border cartouche is filled with a riverscape with a fisherman in his boat , trees mountains and the sun. The two golden outlined round border cartouches are filled with flowering plants. On the bottom flowering peony plants growing from rockwork with flying insects. Round the inner rim a trellis pattern border with four cartouches filled with flowering branches.
C.J.A. Jörg, in collaboration with J. van Campen, states in his "Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. The Ming and Qing Dynasties" that the decoration was applied using a special technique. The motifs were cut out in paper and applied to the surface, which was then sprayed with powdered cobalt blue blown through a small bamboo pipe with a piece of gauze held in front of it. The paper patterns were removed and after glazing and firing the motifs appeared white in reserve on the speckled blue.
C.J.A. Jörg in co-operation with A. Borstlap, J. van Campen and T.M. Eliëns states in his "Oriental Porcelain in the Netherlands. Four Museum Collections" that the Rijksmuseum collection has many objects decorated using the powder-blue technique.
C.J.A. Jörg states in his "Famille Verte, Chinese Porcelain in Green Enamels" that wares decorated with powder blue ("Mazarin blue", "bleu poudré") and enamels form a specific category within the famille verte group. It is characterised by a monochrome underglaze-blue ground that shows small speckles of darker blue when examined closely. Some pieces are completely covered with powder blue, usually with a decoration in overglaze gold. This powder blue bowl must have been expensive and exclusive, adding to the richness of the interiors in which it was displayed and enhancing the status of their owners. In the Netherlands, the collection of the Boymans Van Beuningen Museum and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam have an extensive range of these luxury pieces, but they are scarce or completely absent in other public collections.
Dimensions:
Height: 85 mm (3.35 inch)
Diameter: 186 mm (7.32 inch)
Diameter of footring: 82 mm (3,23 inch)
Condition: A firing flaw to the inner footring. Two hairlines, a chip to the inner rim, and various frits, fleabites and rough spots to the glaze of the inner and outer rim.
References:
Jörg & Van Campen 1997, p.140, cat. 148.
Jörg 2003/2, pp.92-93, cat. 50.
Price: € 2.499 - $ 3.444 - £ 2.117
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
Object 2011029
Dish
Provenance: China
Dating: Kangxi period (1662-1722), c.1700-1725
Mark: Two circles in, underglaze blue.
Dish on a footring with a flattened rim and a white glazed base. Decorated in famille verte enamels, underglaze
blue, iron-red and gold. The reverse
of the sides and rim covered with a
powder blue glaze.
In the centre a medallion with a phoenix, around it four panels with a rock and flowering plants (chrysanthemum, prunus, peony and lotus) separated
by bands with flower heads, a similar continuous band around the sides.
On the rim flower heads with leafy branches. The reverse of the sides and rim are covered with a powder blue glaze.
On the base an old square paper label.
C.J.A. Jörg states in his "Famille Verte, Chinese Porcelain in Green Enamels" that wares decorated with powder blue ("Mazarin blue", "bleu poudré") and enamels form a specific category within the famille verte group. It is characterised by a monochrome underglaze-blue ground that shows small speckles of darker blue when examined closely. Some pieces are completely covered with powder blue, usually with a decoration in overglaze gold. Others have panels and cartouches reserved on this ground, usually filled with a decoration either in underglaze blue or in famille verte enamels. It is this latter category that is included her. It constitutes a marked exception to the rule that normally "verte" is not combined with underglaze blue.
For a similar pair of dishes, decorated in Chinese Imari, see:
On these two similar dishes, decorated in Chinese Imari, C.J.A. Jörg states in his "Jan Menze van Diepen Stichting. Selectie uit de collectie Oosterse keramiek. (Jan Menze van Diepen Foundation. A Selection from the Collection of Oriental Ceramics)" that the combination with powder blue is highly unusual.
The fact that only the reverse of the sides and rim are covered with a powder blue glaze, while the decoration on the front is of another type, makes this dish a rare object.
Dimensions:
Height: 34 mm (1.34 inch)
Diameter: 208 mm (8.19 inch)
Diameter of footring: 120 mm (4.72 inch)
Condition: Some wear to the decoration of the lotus plants, a firing flaw to the inner footring and two tiny shallow chips to the footring.
References:
Price: € 1.250 - $ 1.660 - £ 999
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
Object 2010C112
Dish
Provenance: China
Dating: Kangxi period (1662-1722)
Mark: A square shop mark in a double circle, underglaze blue.
Dish on a footring with a glazed base and a straight rim. Covered with underglaze powder blue. Decorated in various famille verte enamels.
In the centre a reserved round panel decorated with flowering plants and a bird in flight. The reserved golden outlined scalloped and fan-shaped border cartouches show riverscapes, rocks and flowering plants. On the exterior wall three flower sprays. Marked on the base with a square shop-mark in a double circle.
This powder blue dish must have been expensive and exclusive, adding to the richness of the interiors in which it was displayed and enhancing the status of their owners. In the Netherlands, the collection of the Boymans Van Beuningen Museum and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam have an extensive range of these luxury pieces, but they are scarce or completely absent in other public collections. (source: C.J.A. Jörg, Famille Verte, Chinese Porcelain in Green Enamels, Schoten 2011)
C.J.A. Jörg, in collaboration with J. van Campen, states in his "Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. The Ming and Qing Dynasties" that the decoration was applied using a special technique. The motifs were cut out in paper and applied to the surface, which was then sprayed with powdered cobalt blue blown through a small bamboo pipe with a piece of gauze held in front of it. The paper patterns were removed and after glazing and firing the motifs appeared white in reserve on the speckled blue.
Dimensions:
Height: 36 mm (1.42 inch)
Diameter: 215 mm (8.47 inch)
Diameter of footring: 120 mm (4.72 inch)
Condition: Firing flaws to the base, inner footring and rim, two frits and a filled frit to the rim.
References:
Jörg & Van Campen 1997, p.140, cat. 148.
Price: € 1.750 - $ 2.154 - £ 1.376
(the $ and £ prices are approximates and depend on the € price exchange rate)
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