Antique Porcelain

26 Aug, 2004 in art pottery by admin

Antique Porcelain

The Beauty of Asian Antiques

As even a casual observer will tell you, there is a great deal of variety when you consider the art that comes out of Asia. The history of countries like Japan and China go back literally thousands of years, and by taking a look at what these lands have to offer in the way of gorgeous antiques is just one more way to appreciate true artistic ability, craftsmanship and history.

Chinese art, for example, is divided into periods relating to the dynasty that ruled the country. Chinese art can range from simple yet exquisitely glazed ceramic bowls to the popular and incredibly beautiful jade figurines. The Shang dynasty, for intance, was known for its blue casting, while China as a whole maintained a long tradition of Beautiful Porcelain. The arrival of Buddhism to China around 100 AD led to a great deal of religiously themed art as well.

Japanese art, on the other hand, has a reputation for being simpler than Chinese art, although this has not always been the case. The Japanese aesthetic is one that has changed over the years and today, many people associate it with grace, elegance, and a very spare, spartan beauty. One of the areas that Japanese art is best known for, though, is in textiles, particularly with regards to their kimonos. These robes are often one of a kind and when made by a real master, often have their own names and infrequently worn and more often displayed.

When you are looking for Chinese or Japanese statues to grace your home, you'll find that there are many choose from, and that you'll have a choice of many different materials. Both countries have elevated ceramic and porcelain into a fine art form, and you can still find carved figurine statues of jade, wood and stone. You can find plenty of statues of the Buddha, of the Eight Immortals, and of the Japanese folk hero Momotaro, or you can find statues of more homely things, like cats, dogs or children.

Upon examination, Chinese art and Japanese art both abounds with dragons. In Asia, these powerful, serpentine beasts were more associated with good than they are with evil, and more connected with water than with fire. Large bodies of water were thought to have dragons slumbering under them, and buildings are often not built more than a certain height to make sure that dragons that live in the mountains can see the ocean. You'll find both Chinese and Japanese art loves to depict these creatures, who were often symbols of imperial rule.

Take some time to take a look at the elegance and beauty that can grace your home through the display of Asian antiques, and you'll find that you have excellent reasons to make sure that you see what these pieces of art can bring to your environment!

About the Author

Art Morse

Fantasy asian Antiques | chinese | japanese

Kwan-yin statues

How can I determine whether hairline cracks I see in porcelain glaze are ONLY in the glaze & don't go through?

I have an antique Limoges porcelain container that has no opening, or, rather, no removable cover, so that precludes looking INSIDE to see the porcelain itself. There are many VERY FINE (apparent) cracks running throughout the piece that are undetectable except upon close inspection. Is there some kind of definitive test to establish if these "lines" are only in the glaze?

tap or flick the piece with your fingers. If the cracks are only in the glaze, it will have a ringing sound. if the cracks go through the porcelain, it will sound dull and low.

Antique Porcelain Japanese Sake Cup - Painted Guinomi