by Meghan Edwards

The Bard Graduate Center in New York unearths the opulent art of enameled metalwork

I must admit, before hearing about the Bard Graduate Center: Decorative Arts, Design History, Material Culture’s upcoming exhibition, I had very little knowledge of cloisonné. Wasn’t it some kind of porcelain? I really had no clue. For those of you in the same boat, cloisonné is a technique for decorating metal objects with enamel, applied between subtle soldered or wire-defined compartments in the metal that manipulate the enamel, which is then fired in a kiln. The technique was first developed in ancient Near East jewelry but was quite popular in China by the 14th century. However, as the show’s background chronicles, dating cloisonné items can be surprisingly controversial (who knew?) since reign marks are often untrustworthy and can be paired with little information about Chinese workshops. Skirting this issue, “Cloisonné: Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties” relies on three aspects of production for its program: decoration, form, and intended function. Decoration often signifies an object’s function, not to mention its considerable inherent beauty, and its examination promises a rich and satisfying show on a topic that many of us know little about.

CL-061: Vase.
Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Era, 18th century.
Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy
22 3/4 x 8 1/2 in.
George Walter Vincent Smith Collection, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, Springfield, Massachusetts, 63.23.23.
Photographer: David Stansbury.

In collaboration with Les Arts Décoratifs – Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, Bard pairs cloisonné from the celebrated French collection with objects from significant public collections in the United States, including pieces from the Brooklyn Museum and the and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curated by Beatrice Quette of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the show reveals the technique in China from the end of the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) to the end of the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) and focuses on the most frequently occurring motifs, questioning how, why, and for whom these works were produced, and how they would have been received during their time.

CL-189: Qilin.
Qianlong period, second half of the 18th century.
Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy
14 3/8 x 20 1/8 x 13 1/2 in.
Musée des Arts décoratifs, gift of David David-Weill, 1923. Inv. 23.663.

The Ming dynasty was founded after the Chinese reclaimed power from the Mongols. During this time, Cao Zhao wrote his 1968 “Essential Criteria of Antiquities” as a collectors guide that belittled Frankish, also called Folan or Falan, cloisonné as unsuitable for study, its colors and luxurious decorations being significantly less austere than works from the Song dynasty (960-1279), during which simple ink-wash paintings and sparse ceramics were all the rage. Cao Zhao argued that the bright colors and gilded decorations of cloisonné were suitable only for women’s apartments. (Well, I certainly wouldn’t mind having some in mine.) Even so, the court still commissioned cloisonné, which suggests that not everyone sided with Cao Zhao.

CL-191: Incense burner in the shape of a dove.
Qianlong period, second half of the 18th century.
Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy
6 2/3 x 7 3/8 x 3 1/2 in.
Musée des Arts décoratifs, gift of David David-Weill, 1923. Inv. 23.614.
Photographer: Laurent-Sully Jaulmes.

The show reveals that other source for commissions from the late Yuan dynasty to the early Ming dynasty were Buddhist temples, which explains the popularity of lotus flowers, the Buddhist symbol of purity, and the motif most often found on Chinese enamels. In the late 14th and early 15th centuries the scrolling, complex lotus designs were joined by other naturalistic themes like chrysanthemums, grapes, camellias, and other flowers, often used to symbolize the four seasons. Next, during the reign of the Jiajing emperor (1522-66), the Chinese character for longevity, cranes in clouds – an indicator of Taoist ritual use – and diverse themes such as mandarin ducks, carp, and seahorses were used.

CL-065: Tall ewer.
Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Era.
Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy
24 1/8 x 12 1/8 x 6 in.
George Walter Vincent Smith Collection, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, Springfield, Massachusetts, 63.23.84.
Photographer: David Stansbury.

According to the show’s program, the final 60 years of the 18th century, known as the Qianlong reign, enjoyed a growing interest in the arts in general, happily accompanied by advances in cloisonné technique and new enamels. An unprecedented increase in cloisonné production responded to commissions for Buddhist temples, imperial palaces, and private residences. Later, Chinese participation in international exhibitions garnered Western interest, and a renewal in production took place. And the sack of the summer palace in 1860 by British and French troops resulted in a rediscovery of cloisonné in Europe, particularly in France. Appropriately, the show ends with cloisonné enamels by Ferdinand Barbédienne and James Tissot, an interesting departure that I look forward to seeing in person. On view from January 26 through April 17 in the Bard Graduate Center’s main gallery. More information at http://www.bgc.bard.edu/.