The Chinese ceramic ware is one of the significant forms of Chinese art. China is well known for many of its arts like jade fashioning, textile weaving, bronze casting, painting, ivory carving, wood carving and not to forget porcelain. Porcelain has originated in China and is known for its finest craft the world over.
The making of Chinese porcelain has a process. First the clay making, then the mould making, glazing and finally decorating the porcelain with coloured enamels. The porcelain is prepared with ‘patuntse’ (white stone) and ‘kaolin’ (white china clay) at a very high temperature.
Chinese periods of porcelain manufacture are:
- T’ang (220-618 AD)
- Sung (960-1279 AD)
- Ming (13th to 17th century AD) and
- Ching (17th to 19th century AD)
The Salar Jung Museum has a number of porcelains displayed belonging to the best periods of Chinese history, except for the T’ang period.
The Museum has porcelainware of the late 12th century Sung period consisting of ‘Celadon’ (a French term referring to sea green, pale blue and mild green), bowls and dishes in different forms, shapes and decoration.
The Museum has porcelains on Ming dynasty (1506 to 21) consisting of white and blue porcelains which are rich in decoration and shapes.
A rare item of porcelain is the saucer and plate which has paintings of HoHo birds, mythological symbols, dragons and Wan li’s majestic mark, which is of the Ming period (1573-1619).
The Museum also has white porcelain ware of the 17th century Tehua which look like sculptures.
Source: The Hindu