RERAMIC STUDIO 
83 
ecorated with eight Immortals. Archaic scroll work < 
nder the blue lines at the top of the bowl. 
THE COLLECTOR 
THE COLOR BLUE IN POTTERY AND PORCELAIN 
I — CHINESE PORCELAIN 
Mary Churchill Ripley 
IT is no simple task to write briefly and yet comprehensively 
upon so vast a subject. There are those who, having 
of peoples, manners and customs, beyond the limits of the 
Chinese Empire. There have been in China, periods in which 
good pigments either native or foreign have been hard to 
obtain. In the 16th century cobalt was introduced by either 
the Jesuits, or the Mohammedans, and under the name of 
"Moslem Blue" was extensively used later on, though not 
freely until the "Kang-he" period. The exact nature of the 
pigment used by the founder of the royal porcelain manu- 
factory in the 10th century, " Chi-tsung," who ordered that 
the porcelain for the palace use be made of "the color blue 
seen through a rift in the clouds after rain" is not known, but 
that early ware, together with all specimens known or sup- 
posed to have been made prior to the Kang-he period, are 
called by collectors "Ante-Moslem blue." 
The " Kang-he " blue has served as standard for many 
years. Other blues are more or less like " Kang-he " — either 
lighter or darker, — of more violet shade or of redder tone. 
The presence of certain ores, manganese, iron etc., alters the 
shade of blue used in decoration, and experts become so famil 
iar with these slight differences that it becomes second nature 
to separate pure cobalt blues from all others. There is often 
a greenish hue to the glaze of white porcelain, through which 
the blue, in decoration under the glaze, owes a peculiar soft- 
made a study of oriental porcelain for a lifetime, say un- 
reservedly, "there is still enough beyond to acquire, for "ness that some collectors admire, while others strWe to secure 
another fifty years work. pieces of cream white porcelain, with what is generally known 
The color Blue, what is it? Why do shades vary? Is as ivory white glaze. Attention to the subtle differences in 
exact information obtainable regarding it? To answer the shades and texture will train the eye, and will give the ex- 
last question first, it is safe to assert that much exact informa- 
tion does exist relating to periods and processes in the 
Keramic art of china, and with the growing desire for reliable 
guidance it is most fortunate that there are those arising well 
fitted to direct research. Such are coming out to us from the 
cloistered seclusion of museums study, as well as from per- 
sonal contact with foreign people and things, and the con- 
sensus of carefully formulated opinions is giving us a standard 
more nearly right than any heretofore reached. 
As we must necessarily exclude more information than 
we can possibly include in so short an article, let us confine 
ourselves to a single period in the history of Chinese blue and 
white porcelain, and ascertain some one thing regarding it. 
The student collector has perchance 
learned that whenever he has particu- 
larly admired the color blue in white 
porcelain, either when attending sales, 
or by glancing into shop windows, some- 
one, the dealer or a friend has know- 
ingly said — " yes, of course you admire 
that, it is a Kang-he piece." 
The Chinese name means nothing 
at first, but after a while, when the 
lover of things beautiful for the first 
time dares to say, "I believe that this 
is a Kang-he piece" — and consulting 
his catalogue he finds that he is right, 
a definite something has happened. 
Now to proceed with the briefest 
investigation, at least we may learn to 
know whether "Kang-he" refers to 
person, period or product. The name 
is that of an emperor, the second 
of the present dynasty. "Kang-he" 
reigned for sixty years, was a liberal 
patron of art, and one who learned 
much through the Jesuit missionaries, 
perience which will prepare the way for further study of 
detail in decoration. 
And here is the chief charm about things Oriental, the 
objects mean so much. Each was originally made for a pur- 
pose, to supply a need. We have decorations in blue upon 
white porcelains illustrative of religious, mythological, and 
historical subjects, and we note that use is made over and 
over again of the same general designs, adapted to the needs 
of various objects. Back of the form, the meaning may al- 
ways be found. 
More or less diligently, as he chooses, the student collector 
may enter upon the pursuit of knowledge which will assist in 
the study of objects. When fully equipped with data, he will 
Famous old design on white porcelain cylindrical vase. The Immortals by name, are " Le Te-Kwae," who carries a 
crutch, " Ho Seen-Koo," with a lotus flower, " Len Tung-Pin," with a sword, " Chang Ko-Laou," whose emblem is a 
musical instrument made of bamboo, " Tsaou Kuo-Kin," with castinets, and "Lau Tsae-Ho," bearing a basket of 
flowers, " Han Chung-Le," carrying a fan, " Han Seang-Tsze," with a flute. 
