"You mean this was made by the Qing Palace Manufacturing Office?" Liuxu took a closer look at a cup with words on it. [+新^^+
"You see, these painted enamel cups have a thicker coating, which makes the patterns look convex and have small cracks. This is most likely caused by the direct application of color on the white porcelain.
There are also a few enamel-colored porcelains from the Kangxi period, which were painted directly on the Ming Dynasty Yongle white porcelain plates in the palace. I don't know if there are any later, but the greatest possibility is from the Kangxi period."
"This doesn't prove anything, does it? Even if these four cups have a word on them, which happens to be 'Wan', 'Shou', 'Chang', and 'Spring', it doesn't prove that they were made by the Manufacturing Office of the Qing Dynasty, right?
"Qin Mingyue said.
"During the Kangxi period, there was also a kind of Yixing purple sand painted enamelware, which is now mostly collected in the Wandao Palace Museum. It was called 'Yi-Xingtai painted enamel' at that time, and its shapes include a holding pot, a handle pot, a bowl with a lid, a cup with a lid, etc.
The decorative themes are mostly flowers, and some are painted directly on the purple sand body. In some cases, considering that the purple sand body is not as delicate and smooth as white porcelain, brown color is first applied to the body, and then painted.
The color is not only similar to the color of purple sand, but also enhances the gloss of the surface of the utensils.
This brown color is only applied to the outer wall of the vessel, but not inside. Do you think the color of this is not white? This is purple sand, and this is a typical Yi-Xingtai painting enamel. And these two cups,
Except for the color of the body, the painting method and the firing process are the same as the four just now, so they should all be produced by the manufacturing department." Han Peacock analyzed with some pride.
"Don't be so happy, right? Your statement is too far-fetched. Look, the inscriptions on these six cups are not the same. They don't even have the same color. In fact, the inscriptions on these two cups are different from the other four.
." Zhou Meiren, who had been checking the cups, said at this time.
"Sister Zhou is still awesome." Liu Xu said with a smile.
Han Peacock rolled his eyes at the catkins and said, "I wouldn't have thought of this? During the Kangxi period, the porcelain enamel inscriptions were all stamped on the outer bottom of the utensils. Most of them were 'Kangxi Imperial System' four-character double row red or blue stamp-style stamps.
, surrounded by a double frame, the outer line of the frame is thick and the inner line is thin.
Some of them are such as the purple-ground enamel vase with lotus pattern collected by the National Palace Museum in the Capital. The outer bottom is engraved with the four-character "Kangxi Imperial System" in two lines. The outer edge is engraved with a single-line square frame. There are also individual vessels such as the Kangxi vase collected by the National Palace Museum in Wandao.
The diamond plate is painted with enamel lotus pattern (Yongle white porcelain body). Although the outsole is also signed with "Kangxi Imperial System" with four characters and two rows of red material, the outer edge is not a double frame. It is a double circle with a thick outer line.
Fine inside.
As for the Kangxi Dynasty Yi-Xingtai painting enamel vessels, the inscriptions on the outer soles are generally the four-character "Kangxi Imperial System" with two rows of yellow material and a double-line square frame on the outside. Some of them are like the Yi-Yi collected by the Wandao Palace Museum.
- Xingtai painted enamel teapot with four seasons pattern. The outer bottom is decorated with yellow material "Made by Emperor Kangxi" with four characters arranged "up, down, left and right", and a double-line frame with crabapple pattern on the outside.
It is advisable to use yellow enamel materials to write the inscriptions on Xingtai painting enamel. This may be because yellow can form a sharp contrast with the brown ground. However, if the brown ground is used to set off the red or blue materials, the inscriptions will not be vivid enough. Therefore, these situations are:
Very normal.
You don’t think these eight cups were made in the same batch, do you? These were obviously put together by later generations, that’s why they are so messy. For example, this one is from the Yongzheng period.”
When Han Kongque said this, Liu Xu and others were all stunned. Even Li Xiaoyi, who was not interested just now, also came over.
"You said these eight cups were fired at different periods?" Li Xiaoyi picked up a cup and asked while looking at it.
"Of course. You see, this wine glass should be one mentioned in the Qing palace archives. It should have been fired during the Yongzheng period. Emperor Yongzheng paid more attention to the production of enamel porcelain and proposed quite strict regulations.
requirements.
In the first year of Yongzheng (17th year), with the expansion of the staff of the palace manufacturing office, and under the auspices of Emperor Yongzheng's most trusted Prince Yi (Yunxiang, the thirteenth brother of Emperor Yongzheng), the production of enamel-colored porcelain began in the manufacturing office.
Enamel work is actively carried out.
However, judging from the Qing Dynasty archives, the production of enamel-colored porcelain was slow in the six years before Yongzheng. Emperor Yongzheng was not very satisfied with this. The reason may be that the enamel-colored materials relied on Western imports and were in limited quantities. They must be used with caution.
, there shall be no damage caused by mistake.
For example, Volume 58 of "Guangdong Tongzhi" written by Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty recorded: The Western Kingdom... sent envoys to pay tribute in May of the fourth year of Yongzheng's reign... fourteen pieces of various enamel materials. Another example is "Wuji File. Qing File. Miscellaneous Records of Yongzheng's Records"
"" records: On February 4, the second year of Yongzheng's reign, Prince Yi handed over five white wine glasses, two of which had hidden dragons. He ordered: These cups are made of enamel. I admire them.
On February 23, two pieces were burnt out. The eunuch in charge asked Prince Qi Zhiyi. He ordered the king to carefully burn the remaining three pieces. According to this, on May 18, three white porcelain painted enamel wine glasses were made.
, Prince Yi presented.
You see, this one is just an enamel flower cup with a white body. There is also a hidden dragon inside. Maybe this is one of the two pieces with a hidden dragon inside as mentioned in the imperial edict."
"There are so few of these things? Even the emperor couldn't get a few. So my brother is really serious this time, and he actually got eight pieces for you at once." Li Xiaoyi doesn't care whether these things are a complete set, as long as they are rare.
, this shows that her brother has a big plan this time, so she has a little headache.
Han Kongque glanced at Li Xiaoyi and said, "I like these things very much. Even if the conditions proposed are more difficult, it's not a problem."
"Forget it! He can't be used to it. If the questions he raises are too excessive, just return these eight small cups to him. If you really like it, I'll have someone buy you some." Li Xiaoyi said.
He waved his hand and came to a very decisive conclusion.
Han Kongque was speechless. Not everyone could find this enamel color. Otherwise, he would not have earned a large amount of intermediary fees by introducing someone to trade a small enamel color bowl.
"These eight wine glasses are not cheap. How did Li Xiaowen come up with them?" Liu Xu asked.
Li Xiaoyi said with a little headache: "I don't know, it seems I still care less about him."
"Just pay attention. Someone has sent such a precious enamel wine glass. There must be no ill intentions, otherwise it will be a big loss." Han Kongque and the others could think of it, and the person who gave the gift must also have thought of such a thing.
The precious thing was entrusted to Li Xiaowen to be sent over. Naturally, it had a purpose, but there should be no malicious intent.
"It seems that these people have really captured your thoughts and know that you want these things." Li Xiaoyi did not relax. It was not a good thing for those people to know Han Kongque so well.
"It's okay. This thing is really rare. As long as the conditions are right, it's still very cost-effective to exchange it." Han Kongque said.
"Do you really like her that much?" Li Xiaoyi was really surprised this time.
"Of course, didn't I say it? This thing is really rare." Han Peacock briefly introduced the situation of enamel.
This enamel color is really rare. Even at that time, Emperor Yongzheng did not have much. From the memorial of Nian Gengyao, a noble relative of Emperor Yongzheng, we can also understand the firing situation of enamel color porcelain at this time.
For example, "On the ninth day of the second lunar month in the second year of Yongzheng's reign, the emperor was gifted two newly made enamel-tube double-eyed quills and ten single-eyed quills from the Yi Zhai."
Regarding these quills, Nian Gengyao said in his thank you note on February 12th: "... I have given you these enamel quills, which are exquisitely made and beautiful in color. I am greatly admired. I would like to repair them and fold them to express my gratitude to Heaven for my kindness, and to express my sincere gratitude to the Holy Spirit." Merciful, if there are any newly made enamel objects, I will reward you with one or two to satisfy my greed. I am so frightened that I have nothing to do. It was made on the twelfth day of the second month of the second year of Yongzheng's reign."
On Nian Gengyao's fold, Emperor Yongzheng circled the word "greed" with a red pen in the sentence "With the greed of the ministers". In the blank space at the end of the fold, Emperor Yongzheng's Zhu said: "The enamel objects have no time to be refined." , I will make a lot of things in the future. Now I will give you a few things now, but if you don’t use the word 'greed', I won’t give you any of them. To obtain these things, it is all the power of this word."
Among them, the sentence "There is no time to refine the enamel products, but they will be produced in the future", which shows that Emperor Yongzheng was full of confidence in the development of enamel porcelain.
After Nian Gengyao received this reward, he was rewarded with enamel-colored porcelain one after another on February 30, March 3, April 11, and April 22 of this year.
For example, on April 24, the second year of Yongzheng's reign, Nian said in his memorial to Shangshu: "On April 22, (the second year of Yongzheng's reign), I went from the Yi Zhai to the imperial court and gave two boxes of imitation enamel teacups to my ministers. I kowtowed and received them. Finished. Fu Chu's kiln wares are so beautiful in color and so elegant in workmanship that they can't be compared to the colorful masterpieces of the previous generation!
Yue Zhongqi led the troops to suppress the bandits on April 15th. When he returned to Ning afterward, I should announce a decree to reward four people separately to express my gratitude. All the gratitude is slightly expressed, and I would like to express my gratitude to you. April 24th of the second year of Yongzheng Daily supplies.”
Although Emperor Yongzheng frequently rewarded important officials with enamel-colored porcelain at this time, until the fourth year of Yongzheng's reign, Emperor Yongzheng was not satisfied with the production of enamel-colored porcelain.
As recorded in the archives of the Qing Dynasty, "On August 19, the fourth year of Yongzheng's reign, doctor Haiwang issued an order: The enamel work fired at this time is rough and the patterns are vulgar. In the future, you must make it carefully. I admire this."
It was not until the sixth year of Yongzheng that under the direct intervention of Emperor Yongzheng, with the success of the manufacturing office's self-smelting of enamel materials, and more and more court calligraphers and painters participating in the painting and writing of enamel-colored porcelain, the production of enamel-colored porcelain began. Achieve rapid development.
Judging from the records of the Manufacturing Office at that time, in the sixth year of Yongzheng's reign, the newly refined enamel materials in the Manufacturing Office had nine colors: moon white, white, yellow, light green, bright cyan, blue, pine green, bright green, and black.
The newly added enamel materials include soft white, fragrant color, light pine yellow, lotus root color, light green, sauce color, dark grape color, bronze color, pine yellow, etc., totaling nine types.
The success of the manufacturing office's self-smelting of enamel materials has not only eliminated the embarrassment that may have arisen from relying on imported materials in the production of enamel-colored porcelain, but the newly added color varieties will also make enamel painters more comfortable in expressing objects. ( To be continued.)