. Enamels . Some of this Chinese work is large and hand-some, the colours varied and beautiful, especiallyin many of the older pieces, which come frompalaces in China. When corroded, it is generallyround the wires, where original oxidisation hasgiven the ravages of time more in the more modern examples the work isfrequently pitted with surface marks and holes,but so great is the size and so beautiful is thecolour, that it in no way spoils the effect of thewhole. Naturally, in such massive work, the wiresare thick and the patterns large. Only thosewho have tried to make a clois
. Enamels . Some of this Chinese work is large and hand-some, the colours varied and beautiful, especiallyin many of the older pieces, which come frompalaces in China. When corroded, it is generallyround the wires, where original oxidisation hasgiven the ravages of time more in the more modern examples the work isfrequently pitted with surface marks and holes,but so great is the size and so beautiful is thecolour, that it in no way spoils the effect of thewhole. Naturally, in such massive work, the wiresare thick and the patterns large. Only thosewho have tried to make a cloisonne enamel, evenin a small piece, will have any idea of the labourinvolved in making these immense bowls, dishes,stands, and salvers. The surface was originally hand-polished, andit may be possible that the holes that showedafter the rubbmg were filled in with colouredpaste, as the Japanese fill them nowadays, butwhich has now disappeared. The polish onthese large Chinese enamels probably never . PLATE XXIX. ANCIENT CHINKSK CL(HS()NNj5; KNAMKI, VASE ORIENTAL ENAMELS i6i reached the final brilliance of the smallerkinds of work, but had possibly only an egg-shell polish, which was better than a very glassyone on so large a surface. In some instancescloisonne is worked along with some champleve,and on one covered vase of the Kienling period,eighteenth century, much finer wires are usedthan usual. These copper vases are gilded, asthey are in most Chinese work. Besides the cloi-sonne work, there is much of the old all-over andpainted enamel work at South Kensington ; someis coloured with blue and other colours over thewhite. In one case much pink is used; this isin the pendants from the huge lamp sent forpresentation by the Emperor of China to theEmpress Josephine, but captured on its way bythe English. I am glad to say the English after-wards wished to send it to France, but the offerwas refused. A case of interesting enamel work brought bythe Thibet expedition, chiefly from the m
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectenamela, bookyear1912
