Page 360 - Chinese pottery and porcelain : an account of the potter's art in China from primitive times to the present day

214 Chinese Pottery and Porcelain

Passing from this particular group, which was affected by special
influences, the general character of the Yung Cheng enamelled
decoration is one of great refinement in design and execution. The
over-elaboration and the overcrowding which are observable on the
later Ch'ien Lung famille rose are absent at this period. The
tendency was on the contrary towards elegant and restrained
effects, such as a flowering spray thrown artistically across the
field, birds on a bough and other graceful designs which left
plenty of scope for the fine quality of the white background. It

is this nicely balanced decoration coupled with the delicacy of the
painting and the beautiful finish of the porcelain itself, which gives

the Yung Cheng enamelled wares their singular distinction and

charm.

There are still a few special types of painted wares to be noticed

before passing to the monochromes. One of these is named in the

Imperial list,^ under the heading " Porcelain painted in ink {ts'ai
shui mo),'" a figurative expression, for Indian ink could not stand
the heat even of the enamelling kiln, and could never have served
as a true ceramic pigment. The material used was a dry black
or brown black pigment derived from manganese, and closely allied
to the pigment which had long served in a subordinate position for

tracing outlines. Evidently this material was now greatly im-
proved, and could be used for complete designs which resembled

drawings in Indian ink or in sepia. It is certain, however, that
the Chinese, whose methods were necessarily empirical, had first

—experimented with actual ink, for Pere d'Entrecolles wrote in 1722 -
" an attempt made to paint in black some vases with the finest
Chinese ink met with no success. When the porcelain had been
fired, it turned out white. The particles of this black had not suffi-
cient body, and were dissipated by the action of the fire ; or rather
they had not the strength to penetrate the layer of glaze or to
produce a colour differing from the plain glaze." Between that
date and about 1730 when the Imperial list was drawn up, the
secret of the proper pigment seems to have been mastered, and
we find the black designs effectively used on Yung Cheng eggshell
and other wares, alone or brightened by a little gilding. Among
other uses it was found to be admirably suited for copying the effect
of European prints and line engravings, a tour de force in which
the proverbial patience and imitative skill of the Chinese are well

^ See p. 225, No. 40. = op. cit., second letter, section xx.