Enamel porcelain, renowned as the exquisite imperial porcelain of the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns of the Qing Dynasty, reached the pinnacle of perfection in terms of material, kiln techniques, and painting.
During the Kangxi period, the enamel porcelain typically used imported materials. The white glaze around the mouth of the vessels appeared prominent, resembling the effect of copper-bodied enamelware. The imported glass-like pigments retained their original colors after firing, resulting in an extremely transparent glassy texture. Like the decoration on copper-bodied enamelware, Kangxi enamel porcelain was mostly decorated with colored ground, with rare examples of white ground enamel painting. Colors such as yellow, red, green, blue, and purplish-red were commonly used on the outer glazed surface to depict intricate floral patterns of peonies, roses, chrysanthemums, lotuses, sometimes accompanied by characters like “万” (ten thousand), “长” (longevity), “春” (spring), and “寿” (longevity) within the flowers. Common vessel shapes included bowls and plates. Kangxi enamel porcelain typically bore a seal reading “Kangxi Yuzhi” (Made by Imperial Order of Kangxi) in red or blue stacked characters. Additionally, enamel painting was also applied on Yixing purple clay teapots and other tea wares.
During the Yongzheng reign, enamel porcelain further evolved based on the Kangxi style. Most pieces were painted on pristine white porcelain, retaining various floral motifs from the Kangxi era while introducing new themes such as birds, landscapes, bamboo, and rocks. Poems were inscribed on the paintings, executed in excellent calligraphy, often accompanied by vermilion or white seals at the beginning or end of the poems, which were carefully chosen to complement the painting. These works became artistic treasures that seamlessly integrated poetry, calligraphy, and painting. Yongzheng enamel porcelain typically bore a seal reading “Yongzheng Nianzhi” (Made in the Reign of Yongzheng) or “Da Qing Yongzheng Nianzhi” (Made in the Great Qing Dynasty, Reign of Yongzheng), in blue or underglaze blue. The white porcelain body of Yongzheng enamel porcelain was even finer, as white as snow, with extremely delicate painting, making them extraordinary artistic masterpieces.
Qianlong enamel porcelain inherited the production techniques from the Yongzheng period. During the early period, the exquisite craftsmanship was comparable to that of Yongzheng works, with similar characteristics. However, towards the late period, the quality gradually declined, even leading to discontinuation of production. The most notable feature of Qianlong enamel porcelain was its significant influence from Western paintings, with various colorful brocade patterns and silk patterns painted on the enamel ground. Floral and landscape motifs dominated the designs, with particular prominence given to blue-green landscapes. Additionally, there was a trend of incorporating openwork patterns on colored ground and combining decorations with blue-and-white porcelain and other colored glazes. Scenes from Biblical stories featuring Western figures also emerged as popular themes. Qianlong enamel porcelain typically bore a seal reading “Qianlong Nianzhi” (Made in the Reign of Qianlong) in seal script or regular script.
Enamel porcelain from these three reigns, due to its limited production quantity and unparalleled beauty, has always been highly acclaimed worldwide and is greatly coveted by collectors. Consequently, numerous imitations were produced in later periods, especially during the Republican era. Some of these imitations were exceptionally fine and lifelike, requiring collectors to exercise extra caution and thorough examination to avoid being deceived by fake or imitation pieces.
