The arts and crafts of the Qing Dynasty in the Kang, Yong and Gan dynasties, such as glassware, porcelain, enamel, gold and silver wares, jade articles and lacquerware, were all exquisitely made and ornately decorated, which reflected the spirit and characteristics of the Qing Dynasty's "prosperous time of Kang and Gan".
As far as lacquerware is concerned, it entered the golden age of lacquerware development in the period of Kang, Yong and Gan in Qing Dynasty. The lacquerware produced by the Office of Official Affairs is the most representative of the lacquer production level in Qing Dynasty, among which the lacquerware of one color produced in Qing Dynasty includes vermicelli, black lacquer and gold lacquer.
black paint and vermilion paint are the most commonly used decorative techniques in paint technology, and they are also the most widely produced and popular varieties in paint technology.
Black lacquer and vermicelli came into being with the emergence of lacquer technology. The Qing Dynasty inherited this traditional technology with thousands of years' history and made many black lacquer and vermicelli utensils.
Most of the black lacquerware and Zhu lacquerware made in the Qing Dynasty have practical value. Black lacquerware includes round-legged desks, strip tables, dining tables, incense sticks, inkstone boxes, holding boxes, pen tubes, etc. There are desks, spittoons, incense boxes, holding boxes and so on.
Although this kind of lacquerware has no decoration or pattern, it wins with its beautiful shape and pure paint color. Among them, the bodiless vermicelli plates, bowls and boxes made during the reign of Qing Qianlong are the representative works of vermicelli.
Gold lacquer is the practice of sticking gold on objects. The methods of gilding include gilding, gilding and clay gilding. The most famous lacquerware made of gold lacquer in the Qing Dynasty is the golden lacquer dragon throne, screen and other works displayed in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, which symbolizes the majesty and sacredness of imperial power. In the Qing Dynasty, lacquerware based on gold lacquer was made more, and other decorative techniques were added to it, such as gold painting, silver painting and lacquer painting.
there are two kinds of gold paint: black paint and vermilion paint. There were few gold lacquerware in the early Qing Dynasty, and a large number of gold lacquerware were made in Yongzheng and Qianlong periods.
During the Qianlong period, there were not only a large number of gold lacquerware with varied shapes, but also black lacquerware and vermilion lacquerware, and there were also a few purple lacquerware and gold lacquerware.
the gold-covered paint should be called "gold-covered paint". Generally, the gold-covered pattern can still be seen by covering it with a layer of transparent paint. This technique has been used in lacquerware in the late Ming Dynasty, and most of them are plates.
the Qing dynasty inherited this tradition of painting, and the utensils made were still mainly plates, depicting landscapes or flowers with poems. Covering with gold lacquer not only protects the golden color of the utensils from being worn, but also makes the patterns different from those painted with gold, which is unique.
For example, the Qianlong black lacquer gold-painted winning box is 36.7 cm long, 19 cm wide and 3.7 cm high, and both sides win the shape. The whole body is painted with black paint, painted with gold like gold and sprinkled with gold patterns. The center of the double plate is illuminated with the shape, with landscape figures, pavilions and pavilions painted inside, and flowers and brocade decorated on the edge of the plate.
outside the plate, draw a group pattern of chrysanthemum, Dendrocalamus, plum blossom, peony, orchid, etc. The bottom of the dish is painted with black paint, painted with gold flowers and broken branches, painted with red paint texture, with concise pen and neat and beautiful patterns. In the center of the outsole, there are two lines of "Qianlong Year System" with regular script and gold tracing on both sides.
in the lacquerware with tracing decoration, besides tracing gold, there are also tracing paint and oil. Paint tracing is the most commonly used paint technology in early lacquerware, that is, the practice of drawing patterns with various colors of paint on the paint floor of light element, also known as "colored paint" and "painted paint".
among the lacquerware in the Qing dynasty, the painted lacquerware with early Qing style has peony patterns and rectangular shapes. There were many painted lacquer works in Yongzheng period of Qing Dynasty. During the Qing Qianlong period, the number of painted lacquer products was relatively reduced, and there were few works with brushwork.
Lacquer painting is also a kind of painting, but the color is simpler and more enjoyable. It uses one color paint to describe the pattern on the painted floor, and then uses black paint, gold paint or other color paints to trace the texture.
oil painting is the practice of painting patterns on lacquerware with oil instead of paint. The difference between oil painting and paint painting is that oil painting can make any color, with many color changes and colorful patterns.
Gold-painted paint is the collective name of gold-painted paint and painted paint. One of the characteristics of lacquerware in Qing Dynasty is the comprehensive application of various lacquering techniques, that is, two or more lacquering techniques are applied to an object.
There are a large number of gold-painted lacquer works in the Qing Dynasty, with rich and colorful shapes, which can be divided into two categories: practical and ornamental. Generally, the outline and detailed texture of the decorative pattern are outlined with gold painting, and the decorative pattern is decorated with colored paint, which is both resplendent and gorgeous. Lacquerware made of gold-colored paint includes plates, boxes, cups, bottles, pen holders, pens and so on. Among them, there are sunflower petal type, begonia type and rhombic type, and the boxes are ten-character box, longevity box, octagonal box, gourd box and six-petal box.
Gold-gilded colored paint is the process of "gold-gilded" and "colored paint" applied to one device at the same time. There are two kinds of gold colored paints: one is "gold filled paint" and the other is "gold painted paint".
Lacquerware made by these two methods existed at the same time in the Qing Dynasty, and both of them used "gold" to outline the outline of patterns and the detailed texture of branches and leaves.
the earliest gold-plated lacquer in Qing dynasty was an artifact of Kangxi period. Among them, there are Jin Yun Long Wen Fang Ji, Jin Yun Long Wen Kang Table and Jin Yun Wen Kwai petal plate. Some of the painted works of Kangxi in Qing Dynasty were decorated with patterns directly on the painted ground, while others were made into painted brocade ground and decorated with patterns on the brocade ground. Although there are differences in their manufacturing techniques, from the decorative effect of the objects, the latter is better and seems to be "icing on the cake".
In the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the lacquerware with gold decoration was rich in shapes and magnificent in decoration, and the objects were named according to the contents of the patterns on the bottom. For example, double phoenix box, auspicious disc, eight immortals box, crane deer box, Ruicao round box, Ruyi Palace box, double happiness square box, Linghuafeng box, begonia fairy box, Wanfufeng plate and so on. As can be seen from the names of the objects, most of them are auspicious patterns related to longevity and blessing.
In addition, there are gold-painted Shouchun plates, silver ingot boxes, fish boxes, peach boxes, Yunlong chrysanthemum petal boxes, six petal plates, etc., all of which have achieved coordination and unity in form and content with their unique shapes and varied patterns. This kind of exquisite handicraft is beyond the reach of lacquer craft after Qing Qianlong.
the mother-of-pearl inlay technology in Qing dynasty has made great progress on the basis of inheriting the tradition of Ming dynasty. The number of lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl is increasing, and the shapes are rich. There are both large pieces of furniture and small plates and bowls; There are both thick mother-of-pearl and thin mother-of-pearl, and bright mother-of-pearl has appeared.
Lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl in the Qing Dynasty was either pure inlaid with mother-of-pearl or combined with other crafts, such as gold painting and colored paint.
among the mother-of-pearl lacquerware embedded in Qing dynasty, it first began in the Kangxi period of Qing dynasty, among which the flat case of mother-of-pearl embedded in black paint, the dragon pattern box of mother-of-pearl embedded in black paint, the book case of mother-of-pearl embedded in black paint and the box of mother-of-pearl inlaid in black paint are all fine works of mother-of-pearl lacquerware embedded in early Qing dynasty.
For example, Kangxi black lacquer inlaid colorful mother-of-pearl landscape flower book case is 223cm high, 114cm wide and 57cm vertical. The book case is a pair, with four layers of nanmu tires, square corners and squares. Each layer of board is supported by three straps, and the top plate is mounted on the board through straps. Add strips and heads between the bottom four feet. The book case is painted with black matte paint, and the paint is inlaid with colorful mother-of-pearl and gold and silver pieces to form 136 pieces of 66 different patterns, including 8 kinds of landscapes, 22 kinds of flowers, fruits and insects and 36 kinds of brocade patterns. It is the book case with the most decorative brocade seen so far, and its four legs are inlaid with copper and gold-plated cylindrical corners.
On the second floor below, the middle of the belt is engraved with the words "Emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynasty". Fine workmanship, rich patterns and beautiful colors, especially the mother-of-pearl and gold and silver pieces embedded are extremely thin. Making more than a dozen units of brocade patterns on a narrow area shows a very high technological skill.
In the Qing Dynasty, lacquer carving was most produced in Qianlong period, including red carving, yellow carving, color carving, black carving and rhinoceros carving. The scope of lacquer carving works involved almost all aspects of court life. Among them, the ceremonial articles are thrones, screens, ruyi, etc. Furniture includes tables, chairs, embroidered piers, tables, etc. The furnishings include bottles, flower beds, statues, screens, celestial bottles, furnace bottle boxes, etc. There are pen containers, complete sets of stationery, pen tubes, pen boxes, and a large number of beautifully made curios.
For example, the red treasure box of "Painting the Tung" carved by Qianlong is 12 cm high and 29.6 cm in diameter. The box is painted with red lacquer, and the cover is open with the shape. The brocade patterns of heaven, earth and water are carved into the ground, and floating clouds, rocks, bamboo pruning, curved columns and phoenix trees are carved on it. An old man sits in the courtyard, and a boy stands behind him. The wall of the box is carved with five flowers, such as peony, chrysanthemum, plum blossom, lotus flower and rose, with miscellaneous treasure patterns carved outside the opening and back patterns carved at the mouth edge.
the box and the bottom are painted black, with the name of "Tongbao Box Washing" filled with gold in the cover and the regular script of "Year of Qianlong in Qing Dynasty" engraved on the bottom.
during the reign of emperor Qianlong, the hall of mental cultivation manufacturing office still had a "paint shop" to make all kinds of lacquerware articles used by the royal family. The imperial carved lacquer was not made in the manufacturing office, but in Suzhou. There are clear records in the files of honest officials.
The lacquer carving in the Qing Dynasty inherited the styles of Jiajing and Wanli periods in the Ming Dynasty. It was not good at hiding the front, and the knife marks were exposed. Although it was polished, it was far less round and smooth than that in the early Ming Dynasty. Nevertheless, the lacquer carving technology in the early Qing Dynasty still surpassed the previous generation in terms of rich forms of expression and fine carving, reaching the peak of history.
For example, the golden painted dragon throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, that is, the dragon chair where the emperor wears royal clothes, is 172.5 cm high, 49 cm high and 158.5 cm wide. The foot in front of the seat is 3 cm high. The throne has a "round-backed chair" chair, which is made of golden nanmu and engraved with vivid Panlong. The throne "round-backed chair" gradually goes down from the middle to both sides. The backrest and backboard are carved in a flat pattern.
The whole throne has corresponding patterns from top to bottom, and 13 golden dragons are coiled. The whole throne was painted with gold paint, which looked splendid and magnificent. It was the largest and highest-grade ritual appliance in the Forbidden City and the whole country at that time.
Qing Jiaqing carved lacquer has a pen container of "The View of Goose in Xizhi" with brushwork, and its knife technique and pattern style have kept the characteristics of Qing Qianlong period.
The height of the pen container for goose watching is 14.8cm, and the caliber is 1.2cm.. The pen container has a narrow hem, a flat bottom and a seat. The outer wall of the cylinder is carved with landscape pavilions and trees. In the picture, there is a pool of clear water, and geese swim in waves. An old man sits in the pavilion of Chi Pan and watches geese swim in the water. There are two people walking on the bridge, and the boy who follows him holds the piano in his arms, in order to visit friends with the piano.
although there are many scenes, the levels are clear and the artistic conception is bleak and far-reaching. Carve several kinds of brocade on the utensils to show different spaces. The bottom is painted black, and the center engraves the seal script "Jiaqing Year System" with four characters.
This pen container has a thick paint layer, precise carving knife method, deep and powerful ridge lines, clear and eye-catching decorative patterns and bright colors. Its knife method and pattern style all maintain some characteristics of lacquer carving in Qianlong period.
This pen holder is the only lacquer carving work of Jiaqing style, which is very valuable for studying the development and changes of lacquer carving technology after Qianlong and the style characteristics of lacquer carving during Jiaqing.
after Jiaqing in Qing dynasty, lacquer carving technology declined day by day. The technique was lost in Guangxu period of Qing Dynasty. On the 6th birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi, Suzhou was ordered to undertake lacquerware, and only one piece of lacquer carving could be made.
The development of lacquerware in the Qing Dynasty was highly praised by the emperor, so lacquerware was widely used in the palace, which has penetrated into every field of court life, and local officials also paid tribute to the court as an important tribute.
the manufacturing office in Qing dynasty concentrated skilled craftsmen from all over the country and had a solid material foundation. Because of the cost, the lacquerware made is gorgeous and exquisite, which represents the highest level of lacquer art in Qing Dynasty, and also reflects the royal artistic style and aesthetic taste.
For example, the black lacquer inlaid mother-of-pearl wuzi box is 6.8cm high, 16.8cm in diameter, round and flat-topped. Black paint inlaid with thin mother-of-pearl gold. Covered with phoenix trees, a woman sat at a stone table and watched Wuzi play in front of the court. The box is embedded with the twelve genera of white jade and the album "Poems of Imperial Shoumin".
in addition to the manufacturing office, lacquerware with strong local characteristics has also been produced in many places in China, such as inlaid lacquerware in Yangzhou, bodiless lacquerware in Fujian, colored lacquerware in Shanxi, leather lacquerware in Guizhou, etc., and lacquerware with various characteristics has also been produced in Suzhou, Hangzhou, Sichuan, Guangdong and Beijing.
Yangzhou was an important place to make lacquerware in history. By the Qing Dynasty, Yangzhou was a famous commercial city, and its jade and lacquerware were well-known throughout the country.
The highest achievement of Yangzhou lacquer art is the treasure inlay technology. Lu Kuisheng is a famous painter in Yangzhou, and he is good at treasure embedding. Lu's works are mostly stationery for study, such as lacquer inkstone boxes, lacquer pots, pen holders, fruit boxes, box sets, armrests, pipa and so on.
Fujian in the Qing dynasty was famous for making bodiless lacquer and woodcarving gold lacquer. Shen Shaoan, a famous lacquering artist in the middle period of Qing Qianlong, mastered the lacquering skills, and realized the clay sculpture Buddha statue and the method of making clips in China, thus creating a unique bodiless lacquerware.
In addition to diluting the original paint with oil, the lacquerware made in Shen Shi mainly uses gold powder and silver powder as blending materials, which solves the difficulty that the general paint becomes dark after drying and is difficult to blend with other bright pigments, and blends many unprecedented paint colors, such as coral red, light yellow, orange, white, apple green, pine green and so on.
Guizhou in Qing dynasty was famous for making lacquerware with leather tires. It was presented to the court as a variety of local lacquerware. Leather tire lacquerware is lighter and more tough than wood carcass.
The manufacturing method is to paint the cowhide tire with black paint or vermilion paint, then paint the pattern with gold on the painted tire, or cover it with a layer of covering paint. Most of the lacquerware painted with gold for leather tires made in Guizhou are daily necessities such as plates, bowls, pots and boxes, which are of high use value.
Suzhou is the center of carving lacquer made by the court office in Qing dynasty, and its shape, pattern and style are directly under the command and control of the court office. In addition to government-run workshops directly serving the court, local lacquerware workshops are also deeply influenced by court lacquerware, and their carving styles are the same.
Every year, on Cixi's birthday, many ministers also buy carved lacquer from Beijing as a valuable gift and present it to the palace. For example, Empress Dowager Cixi carved a jade screen. According to legend, it was a lacquer carving device for the governor of Liangjiang to congratulate Empress Dowager Cixi on her 6th birthday, which was made by the famous Suzhou craftsman Liang Fusheng. The throne is 115 cm high and 127 cm wide. The screen is 271 cm high and the seat is 314 cm high.
Hangzhou was once one of the centers of lacquer making in the Southern Song Dynasty, and there were many lacquerware workshops. Hangzhou in the Qing Dynasty still retained the tradition of the past. Lacquerware was made by one household, and most of them made cover paint.
Among the local tributes, there are few records of Sichuan lacquerware, only the record of Sichuan Buzheng envoy Wang Zhanzhu paying tribute and carving lacquerware in the 52nd year of Qing Qianlong. Among them, there is a square box, and the bottom of the box has the book "Sichuan persuasion bureau sincerely made". This box has concise composition, sparse decorative patterns and smooth lines, and adopts two painting techniques: color painting and color painting. From the analysis of this box, this lacquer ware was made by a government-run workshop in Sichuan in the middle and late Qing Dynasty, which is more exquisite and unique in shape.
Guangdong was an important foreign trade port in the Qing dynasty, and it was also a famous place to make various handicrafts in the Qing dynasty. Products made in Guangdong, such as ivory, furniture, enamel, glass, tortoiseshell and snuff bottle, are well-known in Beijing, and they are also the main handicrafts for Guangdong officials to pay tribute to honest officials.
Beijing lacquerware is mainly carved. During Guangxu and Xuantong years, workshops in Beijing, such as Decheng Bureau and Furunzhai, had studied the carved lacquer of Qingganlong in exile. In addition, following the ancient Zhai, three masters also made carved lacquer, but the carved lacquer they made did not imitate ancient times and had their own unique methods.