Chinese Cloisonne Enamel

Cloisonne enamel, whose history can date back to over 500 years ago, is also called the "Blue of Jingtai" in China, as blue is the dominant color adopted for enameling and cloisonne became prevalent during the reign of Jingtai (1450--1456) in the Ming dynasty. It is the decorative art of applying enamel of all colors to the surface of a copper or bronze object which is then fired to become a bright and colorful work of art. This artistic technique was transmitted to China from the West and reached its peak of perfection as a result of the concerted efforts of Chinese artisans.

Cloisonne wares are the outstanding handicrafts in China. The production processes of cloisonne wares are painstaking and complicated. Cloisonne is an enamel ware, in which the colors of the design are kept apart by thin metal strips. Major work processes include: making the red-copper roughcast, forming patterns on the roughcast with thin copper strips, filling patterns with enamel of different colors, firing, and polishing. The making of Cloisonne integrates bronze and porcelain-working skills, traditional painting and etching.The picture below is for your referrence only.

Beijing is the cradle of cloisonne technique. The earliest and existing cloisonne is the product in Yuan dynasty, which we know it has nearly thousand-year history already. There are a great variety of products, such as the traditional vase, jar, bowl, plate, box and ash-tray. A great number of new varieties have also been created. They are brilliant in colors and splendid in design and enjoy a high reputation both at home and abroad.