On Porcelain - Ornate, Delicate and Beautiful
There is a very good reason, in case anyone wondered, why porcelain is sometimes referred to in English as "china". China is, in fact, the place where porcelain was invented.
Real porcelain was first developed under the Han Dynasty from existing non-porcelain glazed ceramic wares, which dated as far back as 1600 BC and the period of the Shang Dynasty. It became much valued in the Islamic world, to which it was often exported.
As the creativity developed around porcelain production it became more widely exported, initially to East Asia and then later to Europe. Some of the most popular and well-known porcelain art emerged during the later Ming Dynasty, and these in turn gave rise to a considerable increase in export trade. During this era sought-after designs such as the very popular "blue and white wares" – white porcelain that is decorated under the glaze with a blue pigment - found their way across Europe and further afield.
The word "porcelain" itself comes from the Italian word porcellana, which means "cowrie shell", because of its resemblance to same. However the term "china" itself has become common currency in most English-speaking countries.
The primary and most essential material upon which porcelain is almost always based is kaolin, despite the fact that minerals derived from clay may comprise just a small proportion of the end product. Other raw materials that are sometimes used include ball clay, glass, feldspar, bone ash, steatite, alabaster, quartz and petuntse.
Porcelain now, of course, is produced in many countries, including in the United Kingdom. William Cookworthy's discovery of kaolin deposits in Cornwall led to the manufacture of his own porcelain at his Plymouth factory, founded in 1768. Cookworthy's porcelain is modelled extremely closely on the properties of the Chinese original.
One contemporary use of porcelain is as a building material, mainly as tiles or rectangular panels. These are manufactured to a series of recognised international standards and definitions, with the world leader in the field being Italy. Rooms decorated wholly in porcelain can be found in several palaces in various countries of Europe.
There are many places in China where one can visit and see porcelain being made and sold in its own natural habitat. For non-nationals entering the country a China visa is needed. Sometimes if the intended visit is at short notice or has to take place immediately it is possible to organise an urgent Chinese visa, which will normally be made available on the day of application.
Real porcelain was first developed under the Han Dynasty from existing non-porcelain glazed ceramic wares, which dated as far back as 1600 BC and the period of the Shang Dynasty. It became much valued in the Islamic world, to which it was often exported.
As the creativity developed around porcelain production it became more widely exported, initially to East Asia and then later to Europe. Some of the most popular and well-known porcelain art emerged during the later Ming Dynasty, and these in turn gave rise to a considerable increase in export trade. During this era sought-after designs such as the very popular "blue and white wares" – white porcelain that is decorated under the glaze with a blue pigment - found their way across Europe and further afield.
The word "porcelain" itself comes from the Italian word porcellana, which means "cowrie shell", because of its resemblance to same. However the term "china" itself has become common currency in most English-speaking countries.
The primary and most essential material upon which porcelain is almost always based is kaolin, despite the fact that minerals derived from clay may comprise just a small proportion of the end product. Other raw materials that are sometimes used include ball clay, glass, feldspar, bone ash, steatite, alabaster, quartz and petuntse.
Porcelain now, of course, is produced in many countries, including in the United Kingdom. William Cookworthy's discovery of kaolin deposits in Cornwall led to the manufacture of his own porcelain at his Plymouth factory, founded in 1768. Cookworthy's porcelain is modelled extremely closely on the properties of the Chinese original.
One contemporary use of porcelain is as a building material, mainly as tiles or rectangular panels. These are manufactured to a series of recognised international standards and definitions, with the world leader in the field being Italy. Rooms decorated wholly in porcelain can be found in several palaces in various countries of Europe.
There are many places in China where one can visit and see porcelain being made and sold in its own natural habitat. For non-nationals entering the country a China visa is needed. Sometimes if the intended visit is at short notice or has to take place immediately it is possible to organise an urgent Chinese visa, which will normally be made available on the day of application.
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