The development of society and science and technology requires conditions, and there is more than one condition.
Only a stable social environment and an open business environment can lead to technological progress.
Porcelain firing is also inseparable from the improvement of the business environment.
For example, in the mid-Kangxi period, the maritime ban began to be lifted, and the mass production of trade porcelain and domestic daily-use porcelain made the official and private kilns in Jingzhen unprecedentedly prosperous.
Moreover, official kilns and private kilns promote each other, technology improves rapidly, and varieties are constantly innovated.
Unparalleled blue and white flowers, splendid multi-colors, antique porcelain with a deliberate pursuit of authenticity, and emerging pastels and enamels all began to emerge slowly.
At this time, the porcelain body was very finely refined, with a hard and pure texture. The amount of kaolin in the porcelain body was higher than that in the Ming Dynasty.
The calcium oxide content in the glaze has decreased, the selection and processing of raw materials have become more sophisticated than before, and the firing temperature has reached modern hardness requirements.
The delicate and moist texture makes the overglaze colors, underglaze colors and colored glazes of the Kangxi period appear brilliant and colorful, and there are countless examples.
During the Kangxi period, following the Ming Dynasty, there was a new development in the production of porcelain for export. The variety of shapes and quantities of porcelain were unprecedented.
Common utensil shapes include open-mouthed flower goblets, round and hexagonal jars, tube bottles, honor pots, military cups, soup plates, ear cups, etc.
Generally speaking, large plates and bowls with folded rims are more common.
In terms of colored glazes, many varieties of colored glazes appeared during the Kangxi period.
Among them, the most valuable one is Langyao Red.
Langyao Red is actually a highly successful product that imitated the Xuande Ruby Red of the Ming Dynasty during the Kangxi period.
Langyao red is characterized by its deep and bright color, which is as scarlet as cow blood, so it is also called "ox blood red".
Ji red glaze is not as rich and translucent as Langyao red!
It presents a devitrified deep red color with a uniform color and a glaze like orange peel.
Utensils include bottles, bowls, plates, etc.
Sapphire blue is a kind of porcelain that is comparable to ruby red.
Of course, compared to ruby red glazed porcelain, sapphire blue is a bit inferior!
But it’s not much different, not to mention the emerald blue that is a step further than sapphire blue porcelain.
During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, the firing of blue-glazed porcelain went on to a path of glory.
The blue-glazed porcelain at this time not only inherited the fine traditions of the Ming Dynasty, but also developed steadily.
There were many kinds of blue-glazed porcelain in the Qing Dynasty, such as the famous Ji blue glaze, sprinkled blue glaze, sky blue glaze, peacock blue glaze, etc.
After the late Ming Dynasty, blue-glazed porcelain began to shine again during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, after almost half a century of silence.
The blue glaze porcelain at this time mainly includes Ji blue glaze, sprinkle blue glaze, sky blue glaze, peacock blue glaze, etc.
Sapphire blue is also called Jilan and Jilan.
It was created and fired in the JDZ kiln of the Yuan Dynasty. During the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty, it was listed as the top quality glaze at that time along with Jihong and Tianbai.
Jilan, like Jihong, is a high-temperature devitrification glaze.
This kind of glaze color uses cobalt oxide as the coloring agent, and the glaze is hung on the green body. It is fired in the kiln at a high temperature of 1200℃-1300℃, and the color is stable.
The sapphire blue glaze of Kangxi period has orange peel brown eyes and bubbles, which are relatively evenly distributed.
There are also glazes that appear to flow down.
The Ji-blue glazes produced during the Kangxi and Yongzheng periods were all imitated from the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty, with plates and bowls being imitations.
The early period of Qianlong was similar to that of Kang and Yong.
In the later period, it became more refined. By the late Qing Dynasty, there was very little Ji-blue, and the glaze was not even enough.
The porcelain at this time, no matter which period it was in the Qing Dynasty, the Ji-blue glazed porcelain was mostly used for sacrifices in the Qing palace.
The color of Ji-blue glazed porcelain is very stable, and the glaze surface is closer to the purple color of eggplant skin. The only drawback is that the glaze surface is not very uniform.
For glaze colors like ruby red, or simply copper red glaze, as long as the kiln temperature is controlled, it will be fired.
Chen Wenzhe has previously fired Langyao red, Langyao blue, and other red, blue, and green porcelains.
At this time, he had a firm grasp of these common kiln-changing glazes.
However, since we are going to fire turquoise glaze, which is sapphire blue, it is logical to also fire some other classic blues.
What's more, the blue-glazed porcelain of the Kangxi period really achieved brilliance.
For example, firing of blue-glazed porcelain was resumed during the Kangxi period, but was discontinued in the Ming Dynasty.
The utensils made in official kilns during this period were more exquisite than those in the Ming Dynasty, and a certain number of private kilns were also fired.
Also, during the Kangxi period, sky-blue glazed porcelain was created and fired, and its color is as beautiful as the blue of the sky.
Sky blue glazed porcelain was deeply loved and sought after by the court and some upper-class nobles.
Then there is the peacock blue glaze porcelain. The production volume during the Kangxi period was not high, and most of them were imitations of the official kiln works from the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty.
The most brilliant one is definitely the Emerald Blue, which is greener and more beautiful than other blue and white flowers.
You know, in ancient times, sapphire blue porcelain was kiln-varnished, so it was difficult to fire, let alone emerald blue?
Therefore, there are not many recognized emerald blue products on the market now.
If a sapphire blue utensil has a partial emerald blue effect, it will also be a very precious piece.
Therefore, although emerald blue is based on blue and white, it is more like the ink color of traditional Chinese painting on rice paper, which is full of magical colors.
Emerald blue is known as the divine product among blue and white porcelain. This is not only people's praise for its color, but also an affirmation of the hard work of the craftsmen who fired the green blue.
It was because of the emergence of emerald blue porcelain that the Kangxi period became a glorious moment for the development of blue and white porcelain.
The color of blue and white porcelain in this period has a sense of hierarchy, reaching five color levels, namely first thick, full thick, second thick, straight light, and shadow light.
These rich layers of color are also displayed in Emerald Blue.
Unfortunately, after Kangxi, these craftsmanship was lost.
Most of the Kangxi blue and white porcelain that people can see today is sapphire blue fired from pearl materials.
Although this kind of blue and white porcelain is also considered a treasure, there is still a big gap compared with the green blue porcelain.
Emerald blue and white porcelain has attracted more and more attention from collectors in recent years. There are not many such products on the market, and they will disappear quickly once they appear.
It is reported that a blue and white dragon-patterned vase from Kangxi sold for 22.52 million yuan, which shows the charm of Kangxi's blue and white porcelain.
During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, a lot of blue and white porcelain was handed down.
For example, the Qing Kangxi blue and white pheasant and peony pattern phoenix tail statue, the Qing Kangxi blue and white sword and horse figure cover jar, the blue and white sea water double dragon pattern large vase, the Jiajing style blue and white red wall vase with landscape and flower patterns, the blue and white cloud dragon pattern stove, the blue and white "Red Whistle Pass"
Pictures of sticks, bottles, etc.
These are all collections of the National Palace Museum, and they are all considered high-quality products.
However, compared with the emerald blue and white flowers of the Kangxi period, it really lacks a lot of meaning.
In the same collection of the National Palace Museum, there are two emerald blue works, namely the Qing Kangxi emerald blue landscape and figure pattern pen holder and the emerald blue and blue and white landscape and figure pattern lid jar.
The difference between the two, simply speaking, is not profound!
But put them together and compare them, and the difference is clear at a glance.