Ceramic art is the abbreviation of ceramic art. It is both a material product and a spiritual product. It is both an ancient art and a modern art.
The origin of pottery can be traced back to the Neolithic Age 8,000 years ago. Chinese ancestors were already able to make and use pottery. They mixed the clay with water and moistened it, then molded it into a certain shape. After drying, they heated it with fire. Fire it to a certain temperature to make hard pottery. In the Shang Dynasty, due to the improvement of pottery cellars, the use of new clay, and the invention of "glaze", people created porcelain that was finer and harder than pottery, not only smooth in appearance, but also more practical.
The development of Chinese ceramics
In the long development process of ceramic art for nearly ten thousand years, the achievements of Chinese ceramic art in history are brilliant, like a big river, with a continuous flow and a long history. .
The development from pottery to porcelain from the Neolithic Age to the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Primitive porcelain was fired during the Shang Dynasty due to improvements in pottery kilns and the use of new clays. It laid the foundation for the development of porcelain in our country. The ceramic sculpture art of the Qin and Han Dynasties wrote a glorious chapter in the history of Chinese ceramic development, creating a new realm in both its ideological and artistic aspects. The major breakthrough of the Han Dynasty was the ability to fire mature celadon. The development from primitive pottery to porcelain was obtained under the conditions of technological reform of porcelain raw materials, advancement of kiln structure, and invention of glaze. It is the result of long-term production practice and the crystallization of ingenuity of the working people in ancient my country. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, celadon developed rapidly and became famous all over the world. Celadon has a unique artistic charm, ancient and elegant, jade-like texture and bluish color, which is the embodiment of people's pursuit of ceramic art taste at that time. In terms of molding methods, in addition to improving wheel-making technology, various expression techniques such as patting, printing, engraving, carving, and stacking are also used. Therefore, various novel and interesting utensils can be made. At the same time, black porcelain and white porcelain also appeared one after another. The chicken head pot is one of the more unique black glaze shapes, which laid the foundation for the subsequent production of various painted porcelain. It has opened up a broad development path for Chinese ceramics.
The growth of the ceramic industry in the Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties
In the Tang Dynasty, the ceramic industry was "green porcelain in the south and white porcelain in the north". The south was the celadon of Yue kiln and the north was the white porcelain of Xing kiln. They represent respectively The highest achievement of the porcelain industry at that time. However, the underglaze decoration technology of Changsha Tongguan Kiln is also unique. "Tang Sancai" represents the artistic style of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. "Sancai" is a kind of low-temperature glazed pottery made by using copper, iron, cobalt, manganese and other minerals as colorants, adding lead-containing substances as flux in the glaze, and firing at a temperature of about 800 degrees. Its shape is round. The full, deep middle surface expresses softness, delicacy, grace and elegance, plumpness and accuracy, and the shape is lifelike and expressive. Its superb craftsmanship can be described as a treasure in our country's art treasure house.
The rapid development of Jingdezhen porcelain industry in the Yuan Dynasty
In addition to continuing the famous porcelain of the Song Dynasty, the Yuan people's more significant achievement was the successful firing of blue and white and underglaze red porcelain. "Blue and white" refers to the appearance expressed by using cobalt material to draw patterns on the porcelain blank. It is characterized by strong coloring power, clarity, elegance, traditional Chinese ink effect, and "Chasing Han Xin Bottle". It is the representative work of this period.
The formation of the national porcelain industry center in the Ming Dynasty
The society in the Ming Dynasty was prosperous and the handicraft industry developed vigorously. The porcelain making industry in Jingdezhen has developed vigorously. The rich raw materials for porcelain making and superior natural conditions have made Jingdezhen the center of the porcelain making industry in the country and become the "Porcelain Capital". It can be said that blue and white porcelain was the mainstream production at that time. Among them, the blue and white porcelain of the Yongle and Xuande periods is known as the golden age of blue and white porcelain in my country because of its fine glaze and rich blue color.
The pinnacle of ceramic craftsmanship in the Qing Dynasty
Ceramic art in the Qing Dynasty was produced in a wide range of places, including Yixing, Shiwan, Dehua, etc., but the center was still in Jingdezhen. In addition to the continuous development of overglaze colors, high-temperature glazes, and bucket colors since the Yuan and Ming dynasties, the porcelain making technology of the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong dynasties has become a peak in the history of Chinese ceramic development.
Chinese Modern Ceramic Art
Chinese ceramic art has a rich and excellent tradition. It is the unshirkable responsibility of contemporary ceramic artists to comprehensively absorb the essence of tradition, create ceramic art with a new era look, and rejuvenate the ancient porcelain country. Modern ceramics emphasizes the artistic creation of subjective consciousness. It is a purely spiritual cultural activity that uses clay and fire as a medium to express one's own concepts and aesthetic tastes without any utilitarianism.
Its rise began after World War II. As far as the current creation of ceramic art itself is concerned, the absorption of new concepts and the application of new materials not only increase the diversity of ceramic art, but also increase the possibilities of ceramic art expression. I believe that in the future, the space for modern ceramic creation in my country will be broader and freer.
Chinese Modern Ceramic Art Works
Sources of Raw Materials for Ceramic Art
The mud used in making pottery is generally divided into pottery clay and porcelain clay. It is a product of the weathering of certain minerals, such as mica, quartz, feldspar, etc. The soil needs to have good plasticity, which can only be realized when you make it with your own hands. In addition, we have prepared multi-colored clay for you to use.