The Porcelain Twinz, Heather and Amber Langley, are twin sisters who perform a burlesque show where they simulate sex with each other. The two have sued a club owner who pressured them to perform actual sex acts together.
Written by dynastyantique on Longquan earthenware are celadon created at the a huge selection of kilns in the vicinity of Lungquan spot in southwestern part of Zhejiang province, China. Through the Song dynasty (960-1279), workmen had set up the Longquan surface signature lustrous, greenish pigmentation, a tradition which continuedthrough the YuanDynasty (1271-1368) and Ming dynasty (1368-1644).
Experts have long shown admiration for the elegant slim physique and heavenly, bluish-green surface of the Song dynasty Longquan kiln, along with the increase-sized, heavy and vigorous Yuan dynasty earthenware. Our exhibition focuses on the Ming dynasty Longquan porcelain: their use in court, admiration by the literati, and unique position in tributary and commerce relations between the empire and other nations.
Among the Ming Dynasty Longquan ceramics, those with shiny, vibrant, green glaze in yellow or milky tones earned the most care. They usually in the neat shape and fully etched with complicated patterns, which were very much the same to those of Jingdezhen official wares, clear signs of painstaking and magnificent skillfullness. Nevertheless the significance of the Ming Dynasty celadon was little known. Only recently did archaeologists find out the kilns site in Longquan’s Dayao place with dated shards of styles uncovered. The breakthrough confirmed historical files recording Longquan kilns once as supplier for and supervised by the early Ming Dynasty court. After the mid-Ming period, Longquan porcelain worsened in quality; as glazings grew transparent and slim, the chiselling turned coarse. Nevertheless, the Longquan kilns stayed an critical site beyond the Jingdezhen, givingwares for display in the residences.Longquan wares were also an important
commodity key to the Ming court’s domination over foreign trade and tributary relations. Possibly even today, traces of Ming dynasty Longquan wares often appear in archaeological sites and court collections in Asia, Africa, and Europe. They also motivated the formation of various ceramics industries outside China. We can therefore conclude that Longquan celadon have got a splendor that is universally regarded.
The coloring of celadon results from natural iron oxide in the glaze, which yields the green hue when fired in a reducing atmosphere kiln. By the tenth millennium, workmen in Longquan County and the neighboring location of southwestern Zhejiang were already producing celadon. The quality and quantity of Longquan celadon reached their zenith during the Southern Song (1127-1279) and Yuan dynasties (1271-1368). The Song wares vastly valued with simple forms and ethereal bluish-green glazes without crackle. However, Yuan wares are large, thick with dense greenish color and vigorous decoration. Traditionally, the mugwort green of the Yue ware, the sky blue of the Ru ware, the olive green of the Yaozhou ware, and the pale bluish-green crackled glaze of the Song Guan-official ware have all liked celebrated reputations. Even with these rivals, the Longquan wares have gained great compliment due to their incomparableaesthetic.
When foreign envoys came in the Ming court to pay tribute, they received many merchandise as forms of prize. This gave rise to the specific event of using governmental associations of honor and rewards to carry out international trade. Ceramics were amid the most desired items as a reward. Some nations proclaimed that they highly valued ceramics more than top quality silks. Some nations’ envoys even sailed to the Longquan area to be able to invest in ceramic wares immediately and re-sell them in other areas. Longquan wares have also been discovered among goods retrieved from submerged ships, further demonstrating their popularity in those times. Many nations also begun to replicate the ceramic wares of the Longquan kiln, adding local factors to decoration their industry’s wares.
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Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Some Culture of China
The Porcelain Twinz, Heather and Amber Langley, are twin sisters who perform a burlesque show where they simulate sex with each other. The two have sued a club owner who pressured them to perform actual sex acts together.
Written by dynastyantique on The Jizhou kilns were located near Yonghe in central Jiangxi province. Archaeological research and ancient records showed that Jizhou kilns started production from the Late Tang/5 Dynasties period. The earliest products consisted of white wares with a tinge of light bluish tone. The vessels consisted mainly of ewers, dish and bowls. The bowls could be plain or have impressed motif on the interior base. Motifs consisted of a single chinese character such as ji (auspicious), fu (Happiness), tai ping (safety)and etc.
By early southern Song, Jizhou started producing black wares. The glaze tends to be thin and dark chocolate or dark brown in colour. The paste of Jizhou ware varies from a grayish white to a light biscuit colour. The foot of the bowl is very low and hardly visible from the front view. The early products were comparatively poor substitutes of the thick and glossy glaze of the famous Jian black wares of Fujian province.
The Jizhou potters were however very creative and subsequently introduced new decorative techniques to improve on the attractiveness of their black wares. The first technique involved a second lighter colour over-glaze which is sprinkled, trailed or painted on the dark brownish base glaze. This new technique makes Jizhou temmoku wares distinctive and ensured its place in the history of ancient Chinese ceramics art.
Two well-known products involved sprinkling a lighter over-glaze to produce the so called the tortoise shell and tiger fur effects. They may have a dry moldy mottled quality or could be more transparent and glossy if fired at a higher temperature.
Other types of effects were also produced as shown in below photo. According to Nigel Wood in his book "Chinese Glazes", the composition of the recipes of the lighter colour over-glaze is essentially similar. The results were probably the result of kiln atmosphere and temperature. On majority of the pieces, a white milky substance were also present especially on the area with the lighter colour glaze.
The lighter over-glaze is rich in calcia and magnesia which produced a yellowish-milky opalescence and with further heating above 1260 degree centigrade become a rich transparent ambers. The main ingredients in these Jizhou over-glaze were probably wood ashes of some low-silica type.
The Jizhou potters also used paper cuts for decorations. Usually Vessels with such decor were first coated
with a dark chocolate glaze. After which openwork stencils of cut paper was positioned on the interior wall. A lighter glaze is then sprinkled over the whole of the interior and sometime the external wall. After the paper shape is removed, it showed a black design on a lighter colour mottled background. A
variation have the design in lighter colour on a black background. Some more commonly found paper cut designs include plum blossom, floral spray, dragon, and phoenix. There are also those with rhomboid patterns and 4 Chinese characters such as fu shou kang ning (fortune, longevity, health and peace) or chang ming fu gui
(long life and prosperity).
Another interesting variation is positioning the papercut design on the vessel and then applying the dark
chocolate glaze. The design could be left unglaze or sometime the details enhanced with iron brown slip and the whole design covered with a transparent glaze before firing.
Another famous Jizhou black glazed ware is that with the naturalistic leaf decoration. A pre-rotted leaf with only the skeletal remains may have been used. Very likely, it is coated with a lighter colour glaze before it is positioned on the interior of a black glazed bowl.
Jizhou kilns also produced Cizhou type wares with under-glaze iron brown painted motif. In some examples, part of the motif is incised such as the veins of the leaves on the pillow below. Thee are also those with curved motif. The earliest known examples of iron painted motif were from a tomb at Nanchang and could be dated to A.D. 1209. During the Yuan period, under-glaze painted wares became the main production of Jizhou kiln.
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Written by dynastyantique on The Jizhou kilns were located near Yonghe in central Jiangxi province. Archaeological research and ancient records showed that Jizhou kilns started production from the Late Tang/5 Dynasties period. The earliest products consisted of white wares with a tinge of light bluish tone. The vessels consisted mainly of ewers, dish and bowls. The bowls could be plain or have impressed motif on the interior base. Motifs consisted of a single chinese character such as ji (auspicious), fu (Happiness), tai ping (safety)and etc.
By early southern Song, Jizhou started producing black wares. The glaze tends to be thin and dark chocolate or dark brown in colour. The paste of Jizhou ware varies from a grayish white to a light biscuit colour. The foot of the bowl is very low and hardly visible from the front view. The early products were comparatively poor substitutes of the thick and glossy glaze of the famous Jian black wares of Fujian province.
The Jizhou potters were however very creative and subsequently introduced new decorative techniques to improve on the attractiveness of their black wares. The first technique involved a second lighter colour over-glaze which is sprinkled, trailed or painted on the dark brownish base glaze. This new technique makes Jizhou temmoku wares distinctive and ensured its place in the history of ancient Chinese ceramics art.
Two well-known products involved sprinkling a lighter over-glaze to produce the so called the tortoise shell and tiger fur effects. They may have a dry moldy mottled quality or could be more transparent and glossy if fired at a higher temperature.
Other types of effects were also produced as shown in below photo. According to Nigel Wood in his book "Chinese Glazes", the composition of the recipes of the lighter colour over-glaze is essentially similar. The results were probably the result of kiln atmosphere and temperature. On majority of the pieces, a white milky substance were also present especially on the area with the lighter colour glaze.
The lighter over-glaze is rich in calcia and magnesia which produced a yellowish-milky opalescence and with further heating above 1260 degree centigrade become a rich transparent ambers. The main ingredients in these Jizhou over-glaze were probably wood ashes of some low-silica type.
The Jizhou potters also used paper cuts for decorations. Usually Vessels with such decor were first coated
with a dark chocolate glaze. After which openwork stencils of cut paper was positioned on the interior wall. A lighter glaze is then sprinkled over the whole of the interior and sometime the external wall. After the paper shape is removed, it showed a black design on a lighter colour mottled background. A
variation have the design in lighter colour on a black background. Some more commonly found paper cut designs include plum blossom, floral spray, dragon, and phoenix. There are also those with rhomboid patterns and 4 Chinese characters such as fu shou kang ning (fortune, longevity, health and peace) or chang ming fu gui
(long life and prosperity).
Another interesting variation is positioning the papercut design on the vessel and then applying the dark
chocolate glaze. The design could be left unglaze or sometime the details enhanced with iron brown slip and the whole design covered with a transparent glaze before firing.
Another famous Jizhou black glazed ware is that with the naturalistic leaf decoration. A pre-rotted leaf with only the skeletal remains may have been used. Very likely, it is coated with a lighter colour glaze before it is positioned on the interior of a black glazed bowl.
Jizhou kilns also produced Cizhou type wares with under-glaze iron brown painted motif. In some examples, part of the motif is incised such as the veins of the leaves on the pillow below. Thee are also those with curved motif. The earliest known examples of iron painted motif were from a tomb at Nanchang and could be dated to A.D. 1209. During the Yuan period, under-glaze painted wares became the main production of Jizhou kiln.
article from http://www.dynastyantique.com/
View the original article here
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Asian designs through western eyes – a look at vintage and contemporary asian inspired furniture designs
Having spent so much time focusing on Chinese antiques, its refreshing to pull back a moment and look a contemporary twists on antique styles. And there is no better place then 1stdibs. And since I have had this post sitting in my “drafts” for quite a while, and suddenly wondered “why is this not published?” – well, no time like the present!
Assemblage in Chicago, has some interesting items on their 1stdibs page like this Vintage 1970's Maitland Smith Gilt & Ivory Leather Asian-Form Coffee Table available here or this “Asian vibe” Lucite Scroll Form Coffee Table, one of my personal favorites.
In addition to the silver leaf armchairs above there are several other interesting takes on Chinese chair designs like these Maitland Smith Chinese style arm chairs from Tom Gibbs Studio which almost look as if they were made from stone, or these exceptionally classy Asian Inspired Italian Brass Armchairs at Gaspare Asaro in New York.
Pair of Asian Inspired Italian Brass Armchairs
Another classic Maitland Smith design at Harris Kratz in the form of a Fossil Stone and Bronze Console table. Very vintage – very interesting.
View the original article here
Assemblage in Chicago, has some interesting items on their 1stdibs page like this Vintage 1970's Maitland Smith Gilt & Ivory Leather Asian-Form Coffee Table available here or this “Asian vibe” Lucite Scroll Form Coffee Table, one of my personal favorites.
Maitland Smith Gilt & Ivory Leather Asian-Form Coffee Table
A cerused Finish Chinese Altar Table – another updated modern take on this classic Asian form – this time in limed oak.
Cerused Finish Chinese Altar Table
Asian inspired Silver Leaf Asian Chairs
or this extremely cool asian inpired silver leaf coffee table available here.
Silver Leaf Asian Form Coffee Table
In addition to the silver leaf armchairs above there are several other interesting takes on Chinese chair designs like these Maitland Smith Chinese style arm chairs from Tom Gibbs Studio which almost look as if they were made from stone, or these exceptionally classy Asian Inspired Italian Brass Armchairs at Gaspare Asaro in New York.
Maitland Smith Chinese style arm chairs
Another classic Maitland Smith design at Harris Kratz in the form of a Fossil Stone and Bronze Console table. Very vintage – very interesting.
Asian design Fossil Stone and Bronze Console Table
View the original article here
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Beautiful colors still remain on this brightly painted fo kan family shrine from Gansu used for ancestor worship
Been quite busy recently spreading time between Beijing, Guangdong and Hong Kong and thus have been a bit slow with blog updates. Which is all the more reason why I enjoyed some free time hunting around of the back alleys of the antiques world with James from UK based Shimu Chinese Furniture (who by the way also a fan of Shanxi painted furniture and has a very nicely developing blog on Chinese antiques here worth a look). Of course the “finds” are different each time and this particular visit turned up this amazing family Shrine from Gansu in western China.
Known as ”fó kan” (??) in Chinese (or sometime fo gui ??), these are shrines of worship – essentially a family temple. In ancient times, Fo Kan were dug from rock much like niches or grottos as can still be seen today in many buddhist heritage sites. Later stone, wood and other materials were used. Eventually Fo Kan evolved and began taking on architectural characteristics, modeling houses, official buildings and even palaces. In many ways they are very particular to each region, more so like architecture then furniture. This particular one is quite impressive and its owner would likely have had some level of material wealth judging by it size and grandeur.
The Confucian ideas concerning filial piety strongly reinforced the practice of ancestor worship and thus Fo Kan were commonly seen in ancestral halls, homes and temples. Inside would contain religious statuary or “soul tablets.” As ancestor worship is a complicated topic in itself I shall leave this for different future post.
Probably late 18th or early 19th century, the inscriptions on this Fo Kan read ??????? fùmu enzé sì hai shen (left) ??????? zong zu gong de ru tian da(right). In English this basically would translate as “Our parents kindness is as deep as the ocean and the merits of the clan are as vast as the sky.” (????)
View the original article here
Known as ”fó kan” (??) in Chinese (or sometime fo gui ??), these are shrines of worship – essentially a family temple. In ancient times, Fo Kan were dug from rock much like niches or grottos as can still be seen today in many buddhist heritage sites. Later stone, wood and other materials were used. Eventually Fo Kan evolved and began taking on architectural characteristics, modeling houses, official buildings and even palaces. In many ways they are very particular to each region, more so like architecture then furniture. This particular one is quite impressive and its owner would likely have had some level of material wealth judging by it size and grandeur.
The Confucian ideas concerning filial piety strongly reinforced the practice of ancestor worship and thus Fo Kan were commonly seen in ancestral halls, homes and temples. Inside would contain religious statuary or “soul tablets.” As ancestor worship is a complicated topic in itself I shall leave this for different future post.
Probably late 18th or early 19th century, the inscriptions on this Fo Kan read ??????? fùmu enzé sì hai shen (left) ??????? zong zu gong de ru tian da(right). In English this basically would translate as “Our parents kindness is as deep as the ocean and the merits of the clan are as vast as the sky.” (????)
View the original article here
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