98 
REKAMIC STUDIO 
No. 19. Modern application of pri?nilive procens. .Japanese bowl, inlaid decoration . , 
The Incisions in the brown bod\ aio filled with white slip This style of 
decoration was very much used b>- old Corean potters. (This iUustration 
should have, been published in Aiuiusl issue unlaid drcoration) hut was not 
ready in time.) 
TECHNICAL STUDY ON THE DECORATION OF ART 
CERAMICS~(ConcI«ded) 
Louis Franchet 
Excised Decoration (continued) 
THE excising on biscuit or fired body was practiced on a 
large scale by Italo-Greek potters, but only on ceram- 
ics previously covered with the beautiful black enamel which 
was used by nearly all the old potters of the Mediterranean 
sea countries. The following method was used : 
Using a pottery body of fine grain and only slightly colored 
with iron oxide, they applied a very thin and very regular coat 
of a black enamel, the basis of which was ferroso -ferric oxide. 
The firing was done at about 800° C. On the fired 
piece the design was traced, then the background was removed 
to a depth which did not much exceed 1-lOth of a millimeter. 
These potteries had naturally a light pinkish color after 
firing, and the excised decoration in a slightly lustrous mat 
black, over the natural light, mat gi'ound of the pottery, pro- 
duced an extremely harmonious and beautiful effect. 
Artists who might be tempted to revive this fine ceramic 
may prepare a black enamel which will present less difficulties 
than the old enamels, by using magnetite or natural ferroso- 
ferric oxide, which is common in North America as well as in 
all countries. 
This preparation may be made as follows: 
Magnetite 38 
Manganese oxide 20 
Tin oxide 4 
Flux as below 38 
This is ground in water very fine. 
The flux is made of : 
Flint 50) 
Minium 20( . .^^ , , 
Chalk ^5 /fritted and ground 
Soda carbonate .5 ) 
The amount of flux which I mention (38) will be modified 
according to the temperature at which the piece is fired, it 
must be regulated so as to produce a mat glaze, covering the 
surface well even if applied very thin. 
Recent process. Westtrn j\.- 
XVII Century. Painting \vi 
poUtan Museum of Art. Ae 
York, gift of W 
so-called Rhodian). XVI to 
tin enamel. In the ^Ictro- 
B. Osgood Field. 
No. 2i. Ricenl process. Chinese blue and white porcelain va.s.i with metal 
moimts. K'ang Hsi period, 1662-1722, Painting with color.s under the 
glaze. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 
An artist having a true feeling for color, may with this 
excised decoration use polychrome effects, provided that the 
various colors harmonize together, and that too contrasty 
colors, which are unfortunately used by many modern cer- 
amists, be avoided. 
Besides the black glaze which I have just described, I 
wish to mention another ferruginous product giving very 
interesting black, auburn and reddish brown tones. It is a 
product which has not yet been used for this, so far as I know, 
