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CloisonnéByZach•Thehistoryof“inlaying”colorfulmaterialsontoametalbase,andsecuringtheirpositionwithsolderedwiredatesbackto1800BC,inEgypt.•Duringthe13thcenturyBCinancientGreece,powderedglasswasusedtofillcavities(aka“cells”)madebyfiligreesolderedwire,thenfiredtoproducecolorfuldecorativeobjects.Background•TheartofChinesefired-enamelwaredatesbackasfarastheYuanDynasty(1271to1368),butwaspopularizedduringtheXuanDeperiod(1426to1435).TheXuanDeperiodcoincideswiththereignofMingDynastyEmperorZhuQiyu,whowasalsoknownastheJingtaiEmperor(1449to1457).•ThisiswhereCloisonnépinsarederived!•Cloisonnéisafamoustraditionalenamelware,knownasthe“BlueofJingtai”inChina,withahistoryofover500years.•Itwassocalled“bluewasthetypicalcolorusedforenamelingand“Jingtai”wasthereigntitleofthe7thMingEmperor.HistoryLOGO•EnamelwarebecameverypopularduringtheEmperor’sreign.Thereisagreatvarietyofproducts,suchasvase,jar,bowl,plate,boxandash-tray.•Theyarebrilliantincolorsandsplendidindesign.CloisonnéisoneofthefamousartsandcraftsofBeijing.Cloisonné-Making•Themakingofcloisonnérequiresratherelaborateandcomplicatedprocesses;base-hammering,copper-stripinlay,soldering,enamel-filling,enamel-firing,polishingandgilding.Theproductsarefeaturedbyexcellentquality.•TheskillandworkmanshiphavebeenhandeddownfromtheMingDynasty.Quiteanumberofnewvarietieshavebeencreated.itenjoysahighreputationbothathomeandabroad.Theyaremostlyforexport.Procedure•1.Base-hammering•Thisis,infact,theworkofacoppersmith.Ascopperiseasilyhammeredandstretched,itisemployedtomakethebodyofCloisonné.•Asoundjudgmentisrequiredbecausethisexpertisedeterminestheuniformityofthicknessandweight.Incontrasttotheworkofacoppersmithwhichisendedwhenthearticleisshaped,base-hammeringisjustthebeginningoftheprocessformakingofCloisonné.2.FiligreeSoldering•Thesecondstepcanbecomparedtoembroidery,asbothrequiregreatcareandhighcreativity.Theonlydifferenceisthatinsteadofembroideringonsilk,theCloisonnécraftsmanadherescopperstripsontothecopperbody.•1/16inchindiameter,thesestripsareshapedintowhattheartisanrequires,usuallyacomplicatedbutcompletepattern.Withablueprintinmind,thecraftsmanexertshisexperienceandimaginationinsettingthecopperstripsonthebody.3.EnamelFilling•Thencomesenamelfilling,whichrequirestheapplicationofsuchbasicelementsasboricacid,saltpetreandalkaline.Duetothedifferentmineralsadded,Cloisonnéappearsdifferentincolour..•Usuallyonewithanexcessofironwillturngrey;withuranium,yellow;withchromium,green;withbronze,blue;withzinc,white;andwithgoldoriodine,red.Aftertheoreshavebeengroundintofinepowderandcontainedinplates,workersapplythemtothesmallcompartmentsseparatedbyfiligrees4.EnamelFiring•Asyouputthearticletothecrucible-inamomentthecopperbodywillturnred.Whenfiring,re-fillingsarerepeatedlyrequiredastheenamelinthesmallcompartmentswillsinkslightlyafterfiring.5.Polishing•Tomakethefiligreeandthefilledcompartmentseven,theartisanmustthenpolishthehalffinishedproductsagainandagain.Firstemeryisused.Thenthewholepiecere-firedagainandthenawhetstoneisemployedforpolishing.Intheend,apieceofhardcarbonisrubbedonthesurfaceareasinorderthatthearticlewillobtainsomelustreonthesurface.6.GildingLastly,thearticleisplacedinabathofgoldorsilverfluidtowhichisappliedchangingelectriccurrentsoastokeeptheCloisonnéfreefromrust.•Finallyanotherelectroplatingandaslightpolisharedemandedfortheexposedpartsofthefiligreeandthemetalfringesofthearticle.!