Cloisonné enamel originated in Persia (now Iran) and matured in the fifth and sixth centuries. Later, it spread from Persia to Arabia, the Eastern Roman Empire and other places, and it was introduced to China at least in the Liao Dynasty.In 2006, it was included in China's national intangible cultural heritage list.
(Iran)
Thin and narrow copper wires are pinched to make various patterns, glued to the copper body, filled with various enamel materials, and finished by baking, polishing and other processes. Because the glaze was mostly blue at that time, it was commonly called "cloisonné".
Cloisonne in Ming Dynasty was favored by emperors, and some cloisonne made by hand in the late Qing Dynasty or before the late Qing Dynasty was especially called "cloisonné enamel". The production and distribution of these cloisonné enamel is limited, and most of them are collected by the royal family or officials and merchants, so the collection value is increasing day by day. Cloisonné enamel is so expensive because of the almost inestimable labor involved in its production. Moreover, the materials used at that time were expensive, and the tires were mainly copper tires. Most of the enamel glazes were processed and refined from imported natural ores and semi-precious stones.
Cloisonné enamel is a unique craft.I hope to let more people know the charm of traditional Chinese culture through this.
Thank you!
