china Plain Tri-colored Glazed Porcelain
The making of plain tri-colored glazed porcelain in the Ming Dynasty consisted of two steps. First of all, drawings and patterns of various kinds were carved into the porcelain flan without a ceramic glaze, which was then fired at a high temperature. After that, drawings and patterns of various kinds were colored and fired at a low temperature. Except for the three major colors, white and black were also frequently employed. As a kind of porcelain, the plain tri-colored glazed porcelain is different from the tri-colored glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), which is a low-melting glazed pottery.
china Plain Tri-colored Glazed PorcelainPlain tri-colored glazed porcelain utensils from the Ming Dynasty include three-legged bowls and furnaces. By the time of Kangxi, plain tri-colored glazed porcelain prevailed. The products, which were usually vividly sculpted, included bowls, plates, stationeries and stoves. Sometimes, even the Kwan-yin Statues and incense burners employed this art, which was more exquisite and the base colors more varied, including yellow and green bases. There was also a tiger-skin tri-colored glazed porcelain, which was made by dappling yellow, green and purple. During the firing process, the porcelain would naturally form a pattern likening that of a tiger’s coat.
Of all the tri-colored glazed porcelain, ink-base tri-colored porcelain, which became popular during Kangxi’s reign, is the most exquisite and precious.