Céladon

Technique and decoration

The color blue-green of the céladon comes from an minor amount of Oxyde of Fer included in the glaze at the time of cooking in reduction (with a limited pulling). An oxidizing cooking (with a greater air flow) gives a yellow color brown to the glaze. It happens that during cooling, the furnace reoxygene, and some vases have the two colors.

The potters of Koryŏ also used the incrustation of decoration to the Engobe black or white, deposited in the incisions made in the still wet clay, and of which the surplus is wiped. This technique gives an effect close to the Marqueterie.

The red glaze is obtained thanks to a copper oxide.

For the Chosŏn period, the gray glaze with ash was spread.

Let us céladons generally monochromic, not-are sometimes decorated, but generally decorated simple reasons and finely highlighted.

The crane, bird symbol of longevity and Bonheur is frequently represented on céladons Korean.

History

The céladon is invented by the Chinese potters of the area of Yué at the 2nd century, but already, towards 1250 av. J. - C., cookings of certain Chinese potters could reach the 1200°, which at this temperature made it possible to produce vitreous matter, when incandescent wood ashes or plants fell down on surfaces with discharging, and let appear an impermeable, translucent coating and brilliance. These are the qualities, which exploited methodically, by the clever Chinese craftsmen, made it possible little by little to obtain colors varying from brown with the yellow green.

As of, earthenware jars and pots are thus manufactured, to which the invoice is close to ritual bronzes, to accompany deaths in their tombs. These antiquated sandstones slightly ochers, show many vitrified stripes. This novel method was refined by the craftsmen of the province of the Zhejiang, and according to the times, the coating was created with dry wood ashes, or a mixture of wet ashes and clay then powdered through a sieve, later, a mixture of ashes and liquid clay, was spread out using a brush. The experiment of the potters, also enabled them to realize that the furnaces in length were most effective, and, built with hillside, using fireclay brick, they were called " furnaces-dragons".

At the 8th century, the coating is perfect, and the potters of Yue are particularly famous for their bowls of the whose produced colors agree with those of the favorite beverage of Chinese well-read men, who compares them with “ green clouds seized in a swirl of ice ”. Thanks to the well-read men, their production penetrate to the imperial court.

The Korean porcelain with the céladon appears at the 10th century close to Inchon. As of the year 1000, thanks to the influence of China and with long research, the Korean céladon reaches an high degree of refinement. Its bluish colors distinguish it from the Chinese céladon. The other productions are forsaken, and this technique prevails on all the others.

The golden age of the céladon

In 1050, the technique of manufacture arrived to its perfection, and makes it possible to produce great series of objects to the pure forms, deep enamel and without crack. The decorations are incised in clay, and are either abstract (Arabesque S), or use floral reasons, or animals (Phoenix), indicating an influence of the Khitans.

The golden age of the céladon, will be spread out 11th century at the 14th century, carried, in China by the dynasty of Song then of Yuan. The parts manufactured more and more will be intended for the only pleasure of contemplation, the color going until the pale green, silver plated, almost transparent. The Chinese craftsmen reproduce ancient bronzes for which they give up the ocher color for a consistent green, powdered glass dusting which magnifie their masterpieces, it is the famous one dyed henceforth associated with the word céladon.

In the Years 1150, the céladon with the encrusted decoration appears. This technique invented in Korea makes it possible to decorate the vases of new realistic reasons: clouds, cranes; the small objects (perfume bottles, ointment boxes) are decorated flowers. The céladon is used more and more, and one covers the royal palaces of tiles in céladon. Let us céladons bright reds are invented, but are at that time appreciated in China. Influencing their Chinese fellow-members, the Korean potters then reach an apogee in their Article As well and so well, as the Chinese ceramics imports cease completely at that time.

The technique of decoration, sober at the 12th century, starts to decline with the Mongolian invasions (after 1231). At the end of the 13th century, the reasons became less varied, coarser. Little by little, the Korean ceramists forgot the techniques of manufacture of the céladon. The céladon blue-green was not produced at all of XIVe at the XXe century.

During the Period Chosŏn, the potters always manufacture céladons, but they are not also any more chatoyants, blue or gray, without green-blue reflections, and the poor or same reasons decorative austere, and sometimes simply applied using a Sceau.

Culture

It is around eleven hours of the morning that the blue of céladons, enlightened by the rays of the sun, appears in all its beauté" Miura Koheiji

Céladon, was the name of the hero of “ Astrée ”, a pastoral novel sails about it at the 17th century, and, which wore a dress decorated with ribbons of tender color green.

See too

Jean Girel

External bonds

article on let us céladons of Koryŏ

let us céladons Them, history, techniques, styles and production centres

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