Art is in the doing of useless things with great devotion
A visual walkthrough of the evolution of the aesthetic of Chinese ceramics
Ever wonder why we're drawn to things that serve no practical purpose? Why a vase that can't hold water or a plate that’s too pretty to eat from can capture our hearts? This isn't just about objects; it's about the essence of art itself.
I recently contemplated why we consider certain ceramic objects to be "beautiful" and how our taste is influenced. It seems that our taste is not only shaped by the individual artisan, but also by the broader socio-economic environment of each generation. In this post, I will guide you through the "trending" Chinese ceramics of different time periods, from ancient to modern times, and reflect on what makes them "beautiful" in their respective eras.
The Ming dynasty: How international trade shaped the aesthetic preference for blue and white
Blue and white porcelain, also known as 青花瓷 (qīng huā cí) in Chinese, which literally translates to "blue flower," became a popular aesthetic for ceramic ware during the Ming Dynasty. It originated in the Yuan Dynasty (first half of the 14th century) and gradually replaced the long-standing tradition of unpainted bluish-white porcelain from southern China.
The breakthrough in porcelain technology certainly contributed to the booming scenes of blue and white porcelain. People could finally paint colors onto the white porcelain surfaces, and that’s novel and visually appealing. However, there is another important reason that shaped the popularity of blue-and-white porcelain.
The popularity of blue and white porcelain in the early Ming Dynasty was largely due to the exclusive tribute trade conducted by the government with other countries. During the Emperor Yongle period (1402–24), maritime trade flourished, and Chinese porcelain began to reach more than 30 countries and regions in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, and North Africa.
In the 13th to 15th centuries, many Southeast Asian countries underwent Islamization, and West Asia and Europe coveted blue and white porcelain even more. The Ming Dynasty also had a welcoming attitude towards the Islamic culture's fondness for blue and white colors. During the Yongle (1402–24) and Xuande (1425-35) periods, the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen (known as the capital of porcelain) produced a large number of artifacts with a distinct West Asian Arabic style, as well as imitations of Islamic metal lacquer, pottery, and glass products.
The timeless beauty lies in utmost simplicity: the "sweet white glaze."
Still in the Ming Dynasty, as blue and white ceramics prospered in trade routes, the Yongle emperor himself favored another color known as "sweet white glaze" or 甜白釉 in Chinese.
The sweet white glaze porcelains are generally very thin, thin enough to allow light to shine through. On the delicately carved surface of thin vessels, a white glaze that is described as "warm and lustrous like jade" is applied, giving the porcelain a soft, milky-white appearance that exudes a soothing and gentle aesthetic.
Interestingly, although favored by the Yongle emperor, the name "sweet white glaze" did not appear until much later. Before the 16th century, there was no white sugar in China. The emergence of white sugar gave people a new perspective on the white porcelain cherished by the Yongle emperor, as they felt that the surface resembled white sugar and evoked a sense of "sweetness".
It was all about elegance in simplicity, a theme that's pretty much timeless in the art world.
Beauty is abundance: The colorful palette of Emperor Qianlong
During the reign of the Qianlong emperor (1735–96) of the Qing dynasty, the dynasty experienced unparalleled prosperity and territorial expansion. Influenced by the imperial usage, people began to adore colors that represented wealth and prosperity, resulting in a vibrant explosion of colors in ceramics.
The colors known as "sacrificial red" and "sacrificial blue" first appeared during the Ming Dynasty and flourished during this period. The term "sacrificial" was coined because these colors were extremely difficult to produce and had a very low yield, making them highly valuable. They were exclusively used by the imperial court as sacrificial vessels. When making sacrificial red porcelain in ancient times, precious materials such as coral, agate, jade, pearls, and gold were used without hesitation.
*Guess where LOEWE took the inspiration from for its 2023 Spring collections?
Back to the poem, literature, and painting: the Republic of China period
During the Republic of China period (1912—49), the aesthetic taste for porcelain became more reserved. The popularity of "light reddish-purple porcelain" or 浅降彩 grew as people sought to capture the essence of traditional landscape paintings, which are known for their understated artistic concepts. People began incorporating elements from traditional poetry, literature, and nature into ceramic ware, mimicking the objects found in traditional paintings.
The cultural revolution: Art doesn't exist in a vacuum
I expected ceramic art to be halted during the Cultural Revolution period in China (1966-1976). However, I was surprised to learn that it actually thrived in its own way during this time. Many pieces featured Chairman Mao and heroic images of workers, peasants, and soldiers, as well as scenes from the Cultural Revolution.
It is amazing how political and social changes can influence the prevailing aesthetic of an era. While these porcelain pieces were used as propaganda, they also reflected the times and served as a reminder that art doesn't exist in a vacuum. It is a reflection, and sometimes a critique, of the world around it (when we look back at history).
The modern times: Embracing serendipity and imperfections
Today, the porcelain embraced a broader spectrum of creativity.
The traditional ceramic firing technique is known as wood firing (柴烧), which uses wood as the main fuel. This technique, once not appreciated in ancient Chinese society for its imperfections, has gained popularity, especially in Japan and more recently in China mainland and Taiwan, for its unique aesthetic and natural beauty. The distinctive features of wood-fired ceramics include natural ash glazes and fire marks (which cannot be precisely controlled once the ceramic ware goes into the kiln), contributing to their one-of-a-kind beauty.
Modern ceramic artists have also incorporated even bolder colors with the wood firing technique, transforming pottery into a form of personal expression that goes beyond its practical origins to become something purely artistic. These vibrant colors are mostly achieved by adding soda and sodium bicarbonate into the clay formula and carefully timing the kiln.
The artist who made these orange mugs (which I genuinely adored) told me about his creation process:
"I was working for months, trying to figure out how to bring out the color, but I faced trial and error. Then, one day, I decided to relax and just held the pottery clay, shaping it spontaneously. That's when I found the color I liked and moved on to the next idea."
In contemporary times, ceramic work has evolved beyond practical vessels and has become a form of artistic expression. I was captivated by a performance titled "Treasure" by a Uruguayan artist, which was showcased at an art gallery in Jingdezhen. The performance featured multiple pottery-made hearts left in the muddy ground, washed by the rain, and eventually melting and reintegrating with the earth. What a deep reflection on the passage of time and the inevitability of death, all conveyed through a silent performance: we come from mother earth and eventually return to her.
I also found a pottery art piece set in Jingdezhen called "大地之昆" (Children of the Earth) that somehow resonated with me deeply for no reason. (Perhaps his antenna connected with mine telepathically)
Art is in the doing of useless things with great devotion
And this brings me back to my starting point: art for art's sake. In fact, I later found out that the earliest ceramics weren't made to be useful.
The earliest found ceramics date back at least 26,000 years ago, and they were discovered in southern central Europe. These ceramics were sculpted figures, not practical vessels like dishes and vases. While we often associate pottery and porcelain ware with practical items, it is intriguing to see our ancestors dedicating precious time and resources to create something "useless."
So, why do we create art? Maybe it's a reminder that there's more to life than just survival. That beauty, imagination, and expression are just as essential to our humanity. The evolution of the aesthetics of porcelain shows me that art is not just about the final product. It's also about the process and the devotion to crafting something that may have no purpose other than to exist and inspire.
The process of art is found in the act of doing, making, and perfecting it — it’s like a meditative journey. After all, one essence of art could simply lie in the act of doing — doing something useless but with great devotion.
Let's take a moment to appreciate that, and let me know what you think. Is there beauty in the impractical that we're just too practical to see?
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