Page 202 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

CHINA

that among the articles required for the palace

were :

Large round dishes of pure blue glaze with dragons in sea-
waves, inside; a cloud-scroll ground with three lions and
dragons, outside, painted in gold over the glaze.

Yet another method was to interrupt the souffle sur-

face by medallions containing designs also in blue

under the glaze. Very pleasing effects were thus

obtained, slightly marred, however, by a want of con-

trast between the decoration within the medallions

Aand the colour of the surrounding field. much

more artistic style was to employ the souffle blue as a

ground for reserved designs in white. To accom-

plish this the design must have been protected with

paper when the colouring matter was blown over the

biscuit. The fashion is analogous with that of the
" Hawthorn " ware, the only difference being that

instead of limiting himself to blossoms and branches

of plum, the artist depicted figure subjects, mythical

animals and personages, precious emblems, and so

forth. Beautiful and striking results were attained.

To this class of decoration belong porcelains cov-

ered with souffle or plain blue and having designs or

inscriptions faintly picked out in white. Immense

care was taken in the execution of such specimens.

The plan pursued was to apply the colouring matter

uniformly, and afterwards intersperse sketches by

removing portions of the blue with a pointed instru-

ment. The effect was exceedingly delicate. Occa-

sionally, while the outer surface of a bowl or libation

cup was thus treated, the inner received finely exe-

cuted diapers, scrolls, and ideographs, incised or in

relief. The Ching-te-chen expert plainly regarded

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