Asia Africa Pacific Decorative Arts

Chinese Decorative Arts

Chinese history spans over 4500 years and creativity encompasses a wide range of materials and expression including Chinese ceramics and porcelain, textiles, jade, bronze, calligraphy, lacquers, cloisonné, Imperial furniture. The Chinese had an early history of collecting from other civilizations and had antique dealers as early as the seventh century. The finest ceramic pieces were produced by the Imperial kilns and the best art by Imperial workshops. The imperial porcelain factory at Jingdezhen was established during the fifteenth century. Pieces made for an emperor would be inscribed with an Imperial seal or reign mark. Chinese decorative arts have been collected and imitated by most major civilizations. Entire museums and books are dedicated to preserving and cataloging and displaying it.

Asian Home Decorating

Period	Dates	Characteristics	Furniture	Materials
Qing (ching)	1644-1911	elegant lines and craftsmanship	horseshoe and square-back chairs, flat couch beds, recessed-leg tables with horse's -hoof feet	no nails or glue, walnut, cypress, elm, pine, lacquer tinted with iron, oxblood or red cinnabar powder for black, maroon and red hues
Ming	1386-1644			focus on grain of rare imported hardwoods like zitan and huanghuali
Song	960-1279

Auspicious Decorative Symbols

Auspicious symbols and homonyms were often incorporated in the decorative motifs of glazed porcelain. These pieces were often given as gifts for birthday or New Year's celebrations.

Peach-longevity or immortality
Bats-good fortune especially red which wards off demons
Five bats (wu fu)-5 happinesses: longevity, wealth, health, virtue, natural death
Dragon with 5 claws-emperor; 3 or 4 claws were used as court gifts to attendants or foreign dignitaries
Phoenix-empress
Pine, Plum, Bamboo (Three Friends of Winter)-longevity, perseverance, integrity
Paired quails-peace and prosperity
Pomegranate-wish for children
Apple (ping) homonym for peace
Koi are symbols of courage, grace and perseverance according to a 3rd century Chinese book. Koi were introduced to Japan from China in the 1800's.

Textiles

Batiks are made using a wax-resistant dye technique developed in Java. The fabric is painted with melted wax and dipped in dye. The waxed areas resist the dye so that when the wax is removed with heat the design is revealed. The resulting fabric has a casual, Eastern feel that works well with bamboo and rattan furniture.
Brocade: fabric with a raised pattern usually woven into silk. Probably first developed in China. Persian (Iranian) traditional brocades are made with gold and silver threads. Textiles were originally hand embroidered and the province of royalty reaching peak popularity during the 16th and 17th centuries. They are now usually machine embroidered.
Chintz: Cotton fabric originating in India in the 1600's. Although the word comes from Hindi "chint" meaning spotted, it usually now has a floral design and glazed.
Damask: Woven fabric usually with a matte pattern on shiny background created by using the same color in different weaves. The name comes from Damascus, Syria, where the fabric originates.
Folk textiles: indigo and white fabrics made in preindustrial Japan for the general population who were prohibited from using the vibrant colors of the upper classes.
Ikat (ee-kaht) is an ancient fabric usually associate with sarongs worn by Balinese royalty. Patterns of flowers, birds, stripes, etc., are produced by weaving tie-dyed silk or cotton threads. This technique is believed to have been separately developed by Japan, Argentina and India.
Muslin: Cotton fabric originally made in Mosul, Iraq. It is lightweight and is often used for slipcovers.
Paisley: Fabric with colorful, swirling designs first made in northern India and based on the tree of life design. The name comes from Scotland where the designs were used to make paisleys, or shawls.
Palampores: hand-painted panels with the tree of life motif from India. The patterns are very large and usually seen in wall hangings, spreads or bedspreads.
Satin: woven fabric with a smooth, glossy side that reverses to dull, usually in silk, developed in China.
Taffeta: a luxurious, stiff fabric made by weaving yarn alternatively over and under each warp yarn the entire length of the fabric.
Indigo: According to expert Aboubakar Fofana, the blue hue results from fermentation of bacteria. He feeds them dates and honey. Dried leaves ferment in a vat for 9 months. Fabric is dipped, turns yellowish, then turns blue when removed and exposed to air as the indigo oxidizes and becomes colorfast. Some cultures believe it repels snakes and insects, some antiseptic power.

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