Analysis Of The Chinese Blue And White Porcelain Of The Ming Dynasty

The topic of the seminar I attended was about blue and white porcelain made in the Ming Dynasty and then emulated by the Europeans. The professor gave a clear description of the two and explained differences between them. The blue and white porcelain made in the Ming Dynasty was very hard and durable and it didn’t break when in contact with hot water.

The porcelain was made through the Hard-Paste method, by which the compound of the feldspathic rock petuntse and kaolin is fired at extremely high temperature of 2400 degrees Fahrenheit. The decoration was applied first, with a white kaolin overglaze. The navy blue on the other hand came from the Cobalt and Manganese.

As the blue and white porcelain made in the Ming Dynasty was exported to Europe and became very desirable, especially among the wealthy Europeans. Europe’s attempt to mimic it was through the Soft-Paste method. This method used Quartz and Phosphate instead of Kaolin and it was fired at a lower temperature of 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. Even though it looked very similar to the Chinese, it was weak and would easily crack when in contact with hot water. In addition, it slumped in the furnace.

Then there was the Tin Glazed porcelain, with its white underglaze made of Tin Oxide in Lead Oxide and a blue decoration of Cobalt and Manganese, in addition to a clear overglaze of Lead Oxide. The Tin Glazed porcelain was fired at low temperatures and would also crack easily with hot water. Then the professor discussed Europe’s quest to learning the Chinese secret that allowed them to create the porcelain in the way they did. They achieved their gaol by spying on the Chinese and eventually breaking the monopoly.

The hard-paste porcelain is very hard and it usually has a grey appearance. Due to the fact that it is fired at a very high temperature, the materials that make get fused and become very dense. This type of porcelain is made of 50% Kaolin, 20 % Flint, and 30 % China Stone. The way it is manufactured is by first crushing the raw materials. Then, the crushed material is cleaned and mixed for consistency.

Next, different methods can be used for forming the body of the porcelain. After that, volatile contaminants are vaporized at low temperatures through bisque-firing. Then, the material is glazed by different methods such as painting, pouring, dipping, or spraying. Finally, the material is fired in periodic kiln or a tunnel kiln.