Page 287 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

PORCELAIN DECORATED

of the sixteenth century have yet been authenti-

cated.

The Chinese keramist showed much skill in the

use of graving and moulding tools. Elaborate de-
signs, incised or in relief, were constantly added by
him to decoration in enamels. Perhaps the most
delicate ornamentation of this kind is to be seen on

lanterns of egg-shell hard-paste porcelain. These
were employed after the manner of transparencies,
and nothing could be softer or more brilliant than
the effect of the enamelled pictures and reticulated

or incised ornamentation seen by reflected light when

the lamp was in use. Profuse decoration belongs
chiefly to later periods of keramic development.

The Kang-hsi potter depended on the brilliancy and

purity of his enamels. His Chien-lung successor
sought the aid of moulded, pierced, or incised de-
signs, and in the nineteenth century the artist lost
himself in confused elaboration. Hat-rests dating
from the Chien-lung era show an extraordinary wealth

of technical effort. The button on a Chinese offi-

cial's cap being his .badge of rank, he held his hat-
rest higher than a Western lady holds her jewel-case.

The keramist obeyed this foible by manufacturing

cap-supports ornamented in the most unsparing man-

ner, their embossed or latticed designs picked out
with enamels and gold.

A curious and beautiful method of decoration, used

sometimes alone, sometimes in conjunction with col-

oured enamels or blue sous couverte, consisted in cut-

ting a design in the pate and filling the excised
portions with glaze only. There resulted a transpar-
ent pattern, resembling lace-work. Such a tour de
force must have demanded great skill and care. Prob-

229