Cloisonne is a famous traditional enamelware, known as the "Blue of Jingtai" in China, with a history of over 500 years. It is so called because "blue" was the typical colour used for enamelling and "Jingtai" was the reign title of the 7th Ming emperor's reign.
Enamelware became very popular during the emperor's reign. There is a great variety of products, such as the traditional vase, jar, bowl, plate, box and ash-tray. A great number of new varieties have also been created. They are brilliant in colours and splended in design and enjoy a high reputation both at home and abroad. Cloisonne is one of the famous arts and crafts of Beijing.
The making of cloisonne requires rather elaborate and complicated processes:
base-hammering, copper-strip inlay, soldering, enamel-filling, enamel-firing, polishing and gilding.
Base-hammering of body is the first step in the making of cloisonne. The material used for making the body is copper, because copper is easily hammered and stretched. This step requires a sound judgement in the shaping and uniformity of thickness and weight. It is in fact the work of the copper-smith. The only difference is that when an article is shaped, the copper-smith's work is finished, whereas the cloisonne craftsman's work has just begun.
The second step is filigree soldering. This step requires great care and high creativeness. The artisan adheres copper strips onto the body. These strips are of 1/16 inch in diametre and of lengths as the artisan desires. The strips of filigree thus adhered make up a complicated but complete pattern. The artisan has a blueprint in mind and he can make full use of his experience,imagination and aesthetic view in setting the copper strips on the body.
The third step is to apply colour which is known as enamel filling. The color or emamel is like the glaze on ceramics. It is called falang. Its basic elements are boric acid, saltpetre and alkaline. Owing to the difference in the minerals added, the colour differs accordingly. Usually one with much iron will turn grey, with uranium, yellow, with chromium, green, with zinc, white,with bronze, blue, with gold or iodine, red. In time of filling, all the colours, ground beforehand into minute powder and contained in plates, are placed in front of the workers and are then applied on the little compartments separated by filigree.
The fourth step is enamel firing. This is done by putting the article, with its enamel filling, to the crucible. After a short moment, the copper body will turn red. But after firing, the enamel in the little compartments will sink down a bit. That will require a re-filling. This process will go on repeatedly until the little compartments are finally filled.
The fifth step is polishing. The first polish is with emery. Its aim is to make the filigree and the filled compartments even. The whole piece is again put to fire, then polished once more with a whet-stone. Finally, a piece of hard carbon is used to polish again so as to obtain some lustre on the surface of the article.
The sixth step is gilding. This is done by placing the article in fluid of gold or silver, changed with electric current. The exposed parts of the filigree and the metal fringes of the article will again undergo another electroplating and a slight polish.
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