Qianjiang ceramics painting is a term used to describe a type of overglaze enameled ware which was very popular during the Late Qing/Early Republican Period.  The painting is first outlined with a black enamel and completed with a wash of light reddish-brown and smaller amount of other colour such as aquamarine, moss green, pale blue. and light pink.  The subject depicted is varied, including landscape, human figures, birds/flowers and animals. It is a technique that was borrowed from Qianjiang style chinese paintings said to have originated from one of the 4 Yuan master artists, Huang Gongwang.

The pigments used for this type of paintings are similar to those on fencai (famille rose) but with the following distinctive differences:

a)   both used cobalt for the black outline.  However, for fencai, the black cobalt outline is first applied and then covered with a layer of a transparent lead-based substance so that it would adhere to the glaze after firing.  Whereas for Qianjiang painting, the lead is mixed with cobalt and applied directly to the glazed surface.  Due to the difference with application technique, fencai black is glossy while that on Qianjiang is pale black in colour.

b)  for fencai, before the required enamel is used to fill the outline, a arsenic-based opaque white pigment is first applied to the area.  With the enamel mixes with different amount of this opaque substance, tonal gradations which gives the painting its 3-dimensional look can be achieved.  Whereas for Qianjiang, the enamel is applied directly without the opaque white pigment.  Hence, the enamel is thinner and lack tonal gradations.

So far, the earliest traceable record of Qianjiang  porcelain was a teapot decorated with Qianjiang style landscape.  It was drawn in 1855, the 5th year  Xianfeng,  by Cheng Men and his second son Cheng Rong.  (According to Mr Xiong Zhong Rong in his book Qianyitang Cangci, the teapot should be dated 1879 and not 1855.  It was the mis-reading of the cyclical date.  Further,  according to his research, in 1855 Cheng Meng was 21 years old. Hence, even if his son Cheng Rong was born, he would be too young to master the painting skill.)   It was also the year that the Taiping rebels captured Jiangxi and destroyed and burnt the imperial kiln complex in Jingdezhen.  The rebels occupied Jingdezhen for 7 years and porcelain production was severely disrupted during this period. Many of the potters could have perished or left Jingdezhen to seek a livelihood elsewhere.   Porcelains produced are generally of poorer quality and the volume was low.  

What had motivated the production of Qianjiang porcelain?  One theory is that the production cost of blue and white and fencai pieces was high and the Taiping occupation had made the distribution difficult.  It would make economics sense to produce lower cost porcelain as a means to increase demand from a financially poorer and war ravaged population.  To cut cost, Cheng Men experimented with the Qianjiang style decoration which is technically  easier and requires less time to produce.  The composition incorporated painting, poem, calligraphy and seal marks, essentially transferring literati painting from paper medium to porcelain.  

The pioneers of Qianjaing paintings are Cheng Men,Jin Pin Qing and Wang Shao Wei.  Jin and Wang worked for the imperial factory during the reign of Tongzhi and Guangxu eras.   In fact recent materials uncovered also indicated that Cheng Men had also worked in the Imperial kiln.

Landscape by Cheng Men

Landscape by Jin Pin Qing

Landscape by Wang Shao Wei

In the initial phase till about 1885 (10th year of Guangxu), Qianjiang porcelains were only produced by a small circle of cultivated artists who were well-versed in Chinese literature and highly skilled painters and calligraphers.  The production was probably of a small scale and catering to a specialised group of consumers. In fact, it is difficult to find works which are dated before 1885.  (This demarcation was suggested by a Qianjiang collector, Mr Zhao Rong Hua , from China, in an article and very much in line with my observation of pieces belonging to myself and fellow collectors in Singapore.). Most of the work during this period were executed with light tone enamels (mainly black, brown, blue, moss green, aquamarine and with spare use of light pink) which are powdery in appearance.  They are pure Qianjiang paintings, visually soft, subdued and pleasing to the eyes.  A typical example is shown here. 

The peak period of  Qianjiang porcelains production was from 1885 to about 1911.  The pool of Qianjiang artists was enlarged by a maturing group of new entrants trained by the pioneers.  The increased production was easily absorbed by growing demand from an emerging group of affluent consumers.  They have benefited from an economy which has recovered after the suppression of the Taiping, Nian, Muslim and other regional rebellions, and improvement measures taken during the Tongzhi restoration were showing their effects.  Many of the work especially those with birds/flower and human figures were clearly influenced by paintings of artists stationed in Shanghai, which has evolved into a cultural and commercial centre after it was opened up for foreign trade.  The works of the artists in Shanghai, such as Ren Yi , Ren Xiong and Wu Changshuo were popular and in high demand.  Hence, it is not surprising that their styles were copied to enhance the appeal of the porcelains to the consumers.

The style of Qianjiang paintings during this period is characterised by more vibrant colours being used and they are generally of a darker tone. This is especially true for those use for the birds and flowers which essentially also incorporated fencai enamels especially the pink colour.  A typical example is show below.

From about 1911 increasing number of Qianjiang style paintings used enamels which are essentially a new enamels termed foreign colours (yang cai [洋彩］).  The design using yang cai can be painted directly on vessel just like water colour on paper.   The pigments are synthetic materials whose colorants include metal oxides and silicates.  Range of  colour available is wide.  More intermediate shades can be obtained by blending the existing colour.   The enamels are thin and colour is more even.  (An example dated to 1912 is shown below).  In essence, the execution technique is Qianjiang style but enamels used no longer so. 

Hence, its classification as Qianjiang is understandably debatable. The last piece of Qianjiang porcelain was probably produced around the 1920s.

Qianjiang porcelain has gained great popularity in China in the last few years.  A significant number of works by accomplished Qianjiang artists have been uncovered and published in books on Qianjiang porcelains. 

I have selected a group of Qianjiang pieces belonging to myself and fellow collectors from Singapore and overseas and catalogued them on my website.  The qianjiang pieces can be viewed by artists and I have also categorised them by subject matter, ie. landscape, flower.birds and Human figures.  With sufficient examples built up over time, hopefully it would enable you to idenitfy the style of the respective qianjiang artists and also be able to see how qianjiang motifs evolved over the period of about 60 years. 

By:  NK Koh (last update: 3 Jul 2008)