Page 106 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

LE COMTE.
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which makes it open all over, as in winter it sometimes happens
to crystalline bodies. Afterwards, they cover the surface with
a coat of which covers the and which, by
glaze, inequalities,
means of it the same united and
reheating, gives polished
appearance as before. However this may be, this kind of
vases have for me remarkable beauty, and I am sure that our
virtuosi will prize them.
"
The third and last kind of is white, with divers
porcelain
designs of flowers, trees, or birds, that they paint upon it in
blue such as we have in This kind is the most
Europe.
common of all, and everybody makes use of it; but (as in
the case of or all the are not
glasses crystals, specimens equally
so the of some are of but
beautiful), among pieces porcelain
slight merit, and are hardly better than our earthenware.
"The connoisseurs of do not in
porcelain always agree
their opinion, and I have noticed that, in China (as in France),
their imagination has a great deal to do with it. But it must
be avowed that four or five different must concur to
qualities
make a of the fineness of the material,
perfect piece porcelain
the whiteness, the the and the of the
glaze, painting drawing
and the of the
figures, shape piece.
"
The fineness of the material is known when the latter is
had to the thickness. The are
transparent, regard being edges
generally thinner, and it is by the edges that transparency is
judged. When the vases are very large it is difficult to know
anything about the material, unless the owner is willing to clip
off a small at the bottom : for in that case the colour
portion
of the interior material or, as the enables
they say, grain, only
them to with : this also when it is
judge certainty appears
possible to rejoin the severed parts so perfectly, that no mark
of is visible ; for that is a
rupture sign of the hardness, and,
consequently, of the fineness of the material.
"
The whiteness must not be confused with the brilliancy
of the with which the is clothed, and which
glaze porcelain
constitutes a sort of mirror ; so that, on at the
looking porcelain
near to other
objects, the colours of the latter, as it were, paint
themselves upon it. This effect by reflection is by itself
sufficient to make me form a estimate of the natural
wrong
whiteness. to the into the
It is
necessary carry piece open air,
Although glaze
in order to know its beauties or defects. the is