Polychrome ceramics, since their inception during the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty, reached a high level of production technology during the Jiajing, Longqing, and Wanli periods of the Ming Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, during the Kangxi reign, there were further developments and innovations, leading to the emergence of many new famous polychrome ceramic varieties, which pushed the history of polychrome ceramics to its peak.
- White-ground Polychrome: Starting from the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, colorful patterns were depicted on white porcelain, extensively used during the Kangxi period. There are significant stylistic differences in the depiction of figures among the early, middle, and late Kangxi polychrome ceramics. For example, in early pieces, the figures were large, giving a sense of grandeur, with prominent thematic decorations, especially in folk kilns where figures were painted with expressive brushwork, lively and bold. In the middle period, the painting style became more delicate with refined brushwork, and in the late Kangxi era and Yongzheng period, figures became smaller and more delicate, with varying color intensity. Some polychrome ceramics from the mid-to-late Kangxi period featured leaf or ding motifs inside the foot, or inscriptions like “Made during the Kangxi Reign of the Great Ming,” showcasing excellent craftsmanship. Some pieces featured bright-colored patterns symbolizing longevity, such as the Ma Gu Offering Longevity or Deer Carriage with Lingyi, mostly marked with “Made during the Kangxi Reign of the Great Qing” inscriptions.
- Blue-and-white Polychrome: Kangxi blue-and-white polychrome used blue as part of the decoration, often with bold lines or added ruby-red enamels. Early Kangxi blue-and-white pieces had a dark grayish-blue hue, commonly decorated with patterns like phoenixes with peonies, sixteen sons, cloud dragons, and court ladies, featuring dense compositions and commonly seen in forms like general jars, bowls, and plates. Mid-to-late Kangxi blue-and-white pieces had lighter and brighter colors, with a vivid blue hue, sometimes paired with bright-colored enamels for an elegant effect.
- Bean Green-glazed Polychrome: These featured colorful patterns on bean green-glazed surfaces, often in soft and delicate colors. Some pieces had slightly richer colors and were usually larger vessels with fine bird-and-flower decorations, showcasing meticulous artwork.
- Rice-colored Ground Polychrome: These had a rice-yellow glaze with colorful patterns, usually in lighter tones. Examples include spring bottles, bowls, and plates. Rice-colored ground polychrome ceramics had an elegant and charming tone.
- Red-ground Polychrome: Featuring a red glaze as the base with colorful decorations, often seen in bowl forms. The colors were fresh, luxurious, and sometimes enhanced with gold enamel, giving a majestic aura.
- Blue-ground Polychrome: These had a blue glaze as the base with colorful decorations. One type involved painting on a dark blue glaze, resulting in less vibrant colors, while another type left the areas for painting undipped in blue glaze, creating bright and colorful patterns. Common forms included bottles, bowls, and plates.
- Ink-ground Polychrome: These featured colorful patterns on a black ink base, often seen in bowl and plate forms, creating a contrast between the black base and vibrant colors, exuding elegance and tranquility. Fine workmanship characterized the Yongzheng period’s ink-ground polychrome ceramics, surpassing the Kangxi era in refinement.
- Snowflake Blue-ground Polychrome: Also known as sprinkled blue, these pieces typically had white areas reserved for colorful patterns on a snowflake blue glaze base. Common forms included bottle vases, covered jars, and pen holders. Some snowflake blue-ground polychrome pieces were outlined in blue and filled with colors, reminiscent of Doucai porcelain’s style.
- Ge Glaze Polychrome: These featured colorful decorations on ge-glazed surfaces with crackled patterns. The pieces typically had a yellow-brown glaze on the mouth, with neatly scraped feet and visible red marks from firing. The ink colors were heavy and lacked brightness. Common forms included flower-mouth basins and bowls with square, hexagonal, or octagonal shapes.
The production of Kangxi polychrome ceramics was remarkable, leading to numerous imitations in later periods. It’s worth noting that during the late Qing Dynasty, there were extensive imitations of Kangxi white-ground polychrome ceramics, with some imitations of good quality during the Republican era, almost indistinguishable from the originals. However, careful collectors can identify the flaws in imitations because no matter how precise they are, they cannot completely conceal the marks of their own era, whereas the unique style and essence of Kangxi polychrome ceramics are unattainable for imitators.”
