Cloisonné, or enamel art, is internationally considered a traditional Chinese art form, but according to Mao Jinfu, manager of the Beijing Enamel Factory, the materials were brought from Europe in the 1300s.
Cloisonné is French for "cell", and refers to the technique of applying thin wires to form raised barriers on different areas of enamel on top of the original metal form. An ancient metalworking technique, it is a multi-step process used to produce jewelry, vases, and other decorative items. Objects produced by this process are also called cloisonné.
Cloisonné first developed in the Near East. The technique reached China in the 13-14th centuries from Byzantium or the Islamic world. The first written reference is in a book of 1388, where it is called "Dashi ('Muslim') ware". No Chinese pieces clearly from the 14th century are known.
The earliest datable Chinese pieces are from the reign of the Xuande Emperor (1425-35), which however show a full use of Chinese styles suggesting considerable experience in the technique. It was initially regarded with suspicion by Chinese connoisseurs because it was foreign and appealed to feminine tastes.
However by the beginning of the 18th century, the Kangxi Emperor had a cloisonné workshop among the many Imperial factories. The most elaborate and highly-valued Chinese pieces are from the early Ming Dynasty, especially the reigns of the Xuande Emperor and Jingtai Emperor (1450-57), although 19th century or modern pieces are far more common. The Chinese industry seems to have benefited from a number of skilled Byzantine refugees fleeing the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. Known as Jingtailan in Chinese, and named after Emperor Jing Tai of the Ming Dynasty, cloisonné was considered a perfect combination of copperware and porcelain, both of which have been very popular in China.
In the Beijing Enamel Factory, it can take up to six months or even a year to create one piece, though the average is about three months. The art form is used to create a wide variety of works, from chopsticks to vases, and the price varies just as greatly. A pair of chopsticks can be found for as little as 50 yuan, or a little more than US$7, while the most expensive vase in the factory is worth millions.
The making of Jingtailan requires rather elaborate and complicated processes: base-hammering, copper-strip inlay, soldering, enamel-filling, enamel-firing, polishing and gilding. The products feature excellent quality.
The skill and workmanship have been handed down from the Ming Dynasty. Since the founding of new China, quite a number of new varieties have been created. It enjoys a high reputation both at home and abroad with most of its products for export.
Three styles of cloisonné are most often seen: concave, convex, and flat. The finishing method determines this final appearance. With concave cloisonné the cloisons are not completely filled. Capillary action causes the enamel surface to curve up against the cloisonné wire when the enamel is molten, producing a concave appearance. Convex cloisonné is produced by overfilling each cloison, at the last firing. This gives each color area the appearance of slightly rounded mounds. Flat cloisonné is the most common. After all the cloisons are filled the enamel is ground down to a smooth surface with lapidary equipment, using the same techniques as are used for polishing cabochon stones. The top of the cloisonné wire is polished so it is flush with the enamel and has a bright luster. Some cloisonné enamel is electroplated with a thin film of gold, which will not tarnish as silver does.
All the products are beautiful and elegant in molding, brilliant and dazzling in colors and splendid and graceful in design. It is a famous local handicraft in the Beijing region.
