Iron-red decorated Powder-Blue-Ground Chinese vase, Qing Dynasty, 19th/20th century

• Powder-Blue - Powder-blue, also known as "Jingdezhen blue" or "suffuse blue," is a captivating decorative technique used in Chinese ceramics from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Its name aptly reflects the application method, where finely ground cobalt oxide is dusted onto the ceramic surface, creating a soft, ethereal blue hue. The uneven dusting results in soft gradations of blue, with darker spots around contours and lighter areas on flat surfaces. The blue often appears translucent, allowing the underlying clay colour to subtly influence the final shade.
  
  Powder-blue was primarily used on porcelain, particularly in high-end pieces produced in Jingdezhen, the famed porcelain capital of China, but its popularity declined in the latter part of the 19th century.
• Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.
  
  For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.
  
  Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.
• Ming Dynasty - The Ming Dynasty was a ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. It succeeded the Yuan Dynasty and preceded the Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, a former Buddhist monk who became a rebel leader and eventually overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, China experienced a period of relative stability and prosperity. The government was centralized and bureaucratic, with the emperor at the top of the hierarchy. The Ming Dynasty is known for its cultural achievements, including the development of porcelain, the invention of movable type printing, and the construction of the Great Wall of China.
  
  

• Qing Dynasty - The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. It was established by the Manchu people, who originated from the northeastern region of China. The Qing Dynasty was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.
• Republic Period - The Chinese Republic period, also known as the Republic of China period, lasted from 1912 to 1949. It began with the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty in 1911 and the establishment of the Republic of China under Sun Yat-sen. During this period, the country underwent significant political, social, and economic changes, including the adoption of a new constitution, the expansion of civil liberties, and the modernization of the economy. However, the Republic of China period was also marked by political instability, with numerous warlords and factions vying for power and influence, and the country was eventually engulfed in a civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists. The Republic of China period came to an end in 1949, when the Communists emerged victorious and established the People's Republic of China, while the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan where they established a separate government.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• Chinese ceramics, decoration - powder-blue 42
• Chinese ceramics, dynasty mark or period - vases, Republic period (1912 - 1949) 447
• Chinese ceramics, item type - vases, blue ground 137