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While underglaze blue was a core component of many Ming styles, some potters experimented with combining underglaze blue with sgraffito, a technique where designs are created by scratching through a layer of slip to reveal a contrasting colour beneath, and this combination of techniques adds both depth and visual complexity to the overall design scheme. The application of underglaze blue could be used to highlight the main lines of a design, with the sgraffito element used to add texture, depth, and detail to the background, and this combination of techniques demonstrates the ingenuity of Tang potters and their willingness to explore new approaches to decoration. The use of sgraffito allowed potters to create detailed patterns and motifs with a unique textural effect that was not possible with painting alone. This combination of techniques demonstrates the continued experimentation and innovation of Ming potters in their ongoing search for new styles and methods of decoration. These pieces, with their unique interplay of colour, texture, and pattern, demonstrate the artistry and skill of potters who were working during the Ming period. |
Tag : Ming underglaze sgraffito, Chinese pottery, combined techniques, ancient carving, blue pottery
While we’ve discussed monochrome glazes, it’s worth revisiting them focusing on the textured effects that Ming potters sometimes achieved. Beyond simply color, they explored techniques to create visually and tactilely interesting surfaces with a single glaze color, demonstrating the importance of texture as another key element in artistic design.
Early Ming blue and white porcelain (1368-1521) established the foundation for later ceramic innovation, showcasing refined cobalt underglaze techniques, bold designs, and diverse natural and symbolic motifs.
While we’ve discussed white wares, it’s worthwhile to focus on the technical development of white glazes during the Ming Dynasty. Potters devoted considerable effort to refining the techniques for creating pure, white glazes that emphasized the beauty of the porcelain body, and the desire to produce pure white glazes meant that potters were constantly experimenting with materials and firing methods.
While the Ming Dynasty is famous for its polychrome wares, potters also continued to explore and refine the production of monochrome glazed ceramics, and these pieces highlight a different approach to design, often focusing on form and subtle tonal variations.
While often featuring recognizable images, some Ming Dynasty ceramics also explored the use of more abstract patterns and motifs, demonstrating the versatility of potters who were working in this time and their willingness to experiment with new design elements.