Ash Glazes
Many materials burn or melt in the heat of a ceramic kiln. Plant ash is among the most traditional glaze ingredients, especially in East Asian ceramics, and is associated with celebrated glazes such as celadon, chun and tenmoku. […]
Translucency in Hotaru-de Ceramics
Hotaru-de, literally “firefly hand”, involves piercing a ceramic piece, covering it with glaze and firing it. The glaze closes the openings in the surface, producing the distinctive decorative effect discussed in this article. […]
Portuguese Faience
Hello! I would like to introduce Portuguese faience, a ceramic tradition that greatly influenced Brazil. Its porous body is usually coated with a glaze opacified by tin oxide, creating a white ground for painted decoration. […]
Shibui and the Buddhist Ideal of Beauty
Continuing my exploration of Japanese aesthetics, I turn to shibui. Drawing on Sōetsu Yanagi, I discuss the tea ceremony, the appreciation of chawan and the relationships between restraint, simplicity and the Buddhist ideal of beauty.
The Humble Origins of Kohiki Ceramics
What is kohiki? This technique developed in the Korean peninsula in the 15th and 16th centuries, during the Joseon dynasty. It belongs to a family of ceramics with an overall white appearance. […]
Japanese Bizen Ceramics
Hello! Last week we explored the elegance of Chinese Song-dynasty ceramics. Today we will consider the strength of Japanese Bizen ware, whose origins lie in high-fired Sue ceramics from the Kofun period, dated here to the 3rd–7th centuries CE. […]
Ceramics of China’s Song Dynasty – Part II
Hello! In the previous post I introduced Song ceramics from northern China. Today I will explore representative wares from the south, where celebrated kiln centres developed during the Song dynasty, including Jingdezhen. […]
Ceramics of China’s Song Dynasty – Part I
Bernard Leach described the Song dynasty as one of ceramics’ noblest achievements. Other authors likewise call it a golden age. Studying the subject, I was struck by the extraordinary pieces, diverse techniques and range of production. […]
Following a Firing in a Noborigama Kiln
Hello! At the end of June I visited the Suenaga e Jardineiro studio near Cunha, São Paulo, Brazil. The town has become a centre for studio and artistic ceramics. The studio is run by potters Kimiko Suenaga and Gilberto Jardineiro. […]
Oxblood Glaze
The method for making oxblood glaze was probably discovered during the Wanli reign (1573–1620) in China. Early examples are rare. Initially difficult to control, the process was mastered during the Kanxi and Qianlong reigns of the Qing dynasty, according to the account presented here. […]