Page 14 - Bonhams Ming and Qing Cloisonne Hong Kong December 2, 2021

The Development and Evolution of

Cloisonné Enamel in the Jiajing and

Wanli Reigns of the Ming Dynasty

Zhang Rong

Cloisonné enamel, sometimes known more commonly in The Jiajing emperor devoted himself to Daoism and was
China as ‘Jingtai blue’, has a much shorter history than other obsessed with alchemy, so themes and content related to
crafts in China, such as ceramics, bronzes, jade carving, and longevity and good fortune such as pine, bamboo and plum,
lacquerware. Furthermore, it is rarely mentioned in written the Eight Daoist Immortals etc., were extremely popular in the
records. What is the origin of China’s cloisonné enamel? Jiajing period. These auspicious motifs and designs became
the main decorative subjects on lacquerware, porcelain, and
No clear record has been found yet. By comparing and studying enamelware during the Jiajing reign. According to probably
existing enamelware, experts have inferred that the earliest incomplete statistics, there is a total of eight Jiajing ‘mark and
cloisonné enamel in China dates from the Yuan dynasty. The period’ cloisonné enamel pieces in public and private institutions,
Mongol Yuan period was when the foundation for cloisonné as follows: the cloisonné enamel dish with dragon in the Palace
enamel craftsmanship was laid. During the Ming dynasty, Museum (fig.1), a ‘dragon’ dish and a ‘phoenix’ bowl in the
the number of cloisonné enamel wares increased, and there Uldry collection, Switzerland, a cloisonné enamel dish in the
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was even an Imperial supervisor managing the production Beijing Cultural Relics Company, three piece illustrated in the
of enamelware for Imperial use. Examining the enamelware book ‘Cloisonné: Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming and
collected by museums, public and private institutions, or Qing Dynasties’, namely a jar with a cloud and crane pattern
individuals in China and overseas, the only cloisonné enamels (figs.2-3), a bowl with longevity symbol, and an octagonal
with official reigns marks in the Ming dynasty are from the box. A round box is also in a private Shanghai collection. The
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Xuande, Jingtai, Jiajing, and Wanli periods. cloisonné enamel ‘crane’ ewer, Jiajing incised six-character
mark and of the period (Lot 16) is cast with a long neck, bulging
After the Jingtai reign, the Tianshun, Chenghua, Hongzhi, and belly, and ringed feet and a curved handle. The azure enamel
Zhengde reigns did not produce enamel wares with official reign on the whole body of the ewer shows the various postures of
marks. This phenomenon is like that of official lacquerware in cranes in red, yellow, white and sapphire blue. The bottom is
the Ming dynasty. The reasons for this need to be explored. gilt, and the seal in the centre is engraved with a ‘Da Ming Jiajing

12 | BONHAMS