Chinese ceramics, bowls and dishes, celadon

Celadon is the colour of a glaze applied to stoneware and porcelain, that in turn, has given its name to the wares to which it has been applied.

The technique can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC - 1046 BC) in Southern China. The technique spread other areas of China in the 3rd and 4th century, and later to South Korea, Northern Thailand and Japan.

Celadon glazes can be produced in a variety of colors, including white, grey, blue and yellow, depending on the thickness of the applied glaze, the type of clay to which it is applied, and the exact makeup of the glaze.

However, the most famous shades range in color from a very pale green to deep intense green, often meaning to mimic the green shades of jade.

The color is produced by iron oxide in the glaze recipe or clay body.

European potters found more... it very difficult to attain the sea green colour until the 19th century, following advances in knowledge of chemistry and several factories including Sevres, Copenhagen and Rockwood produced Western versions of the Chinese celadon.