Green Cloisonne Enamel Plate
These green cloisonne enamel plate examples bring intricate Meiji and late Edo period craftsmanship directly into a room.
Green Cloisonne Enamel Plate
A green cloisonne enamel plate primarily manifests as a decorative charger, tray or wall plate originating from Japanese workshops active during the nineteenth century. The examples on this page span from the late Edo period through the Meiji period, capturing diverse pictorial subjects such as phoenixes, owls, dragons, Buddhas, and shrimp.
Most pieces function as large decorative chargers and trays rather than standard tableware, often measuring substantial diameters like thirty-six or forty centimetres. Makers designed these works for display, employing distinct shapes ranging from round chargers to octagonal trays.
Materials and construction
Artisans constructed these works using copper or brass as a metal base, applying delicate brass wire to outline detailed motifs before filling the compartments with vitreous enamel. Certain pieces utilise alternative techniques such as Totai Shippo, incorporating a tree bark effect alongside traditional cloisonne enamel.
The wiring process demands precise hand manipulation to create cells that hold the coloured enamel pastes securely before firing. Subsequent polishing reveals the metallic boundaries alongside the glossy green and multi-coloured enamel surfaces.
Several plates feature unexpected wildlife subjects, including a detailed shrimp alongside traditional phoenixes and dragons.
Qualities of distinction
Excellence in these objects emerges from the complexity and execution of the pictorial subject, such as detailed single-dragons, Ho-o birds, or figures like samurai and demons. The precision of the wirework and the depth of the enamel gloss further separate standard items from superior works.
Signature panels and exceptional scale, particularly chargers reaching forty centimetres or forming matched pairs, indicate heightened attention from the maker. The harmony between the green ground and secondary colour tones dictates visual success.
The Green Cloisonne Enamel Plate Glossary
- Cloisonne Enamel
- A metalwork technique where fine wire creates raised partitions that are filled with vitreous paste and fired. This method allows artisans to produce intricate pictorial designs across a metallic surface.
- Charger
- A large ornamental plate intended primarily for display rather than serving food. These substantial vessels often feature complex iconography and prominent dimensions.
- Meiji Period
- The era in Japanese history spanning from 1868 to 1912, noted for significant artistic production exported worldwide. Metalwork from this timeframe achieved extraordinary technical precision.
- Totai Shippo
- A variation of Japanese enamelling where the design incorporates a non-metal body, such as ceramic or wood, beneath the wire and enamel layers. This specific method creates textured surfaces like artificial tree bark.
- Ho-o
- A mythical Chinese and Japanese phoenix representing auspicious qualities, fire, and loyalty. Artisans frequently depicted this creature with elaborate tail feathers on decorative chargers.
Green Cloisonne Enamel Plate: Frequently Asked Questions
How were these plates used?
These pieces served primarily as decorative chargers and wall plates for display within interiors rather than functional tableware for dining.
Their substantial scale and intricate pictorial themes made them focal points in reception rooms during the late nineteenth century.
How do I hang a charger safely?
Hanging heavy brass and copper chargers requires specialised wall fixings designed to support substantial weight without damaging the metal rim.
Proper padded prong hangers distribute the load evenly across the reverse edge of the plate.
How do I date these pieces?
Dating relies on stylistic markers, materials, and historical periods such as the late Edo or Meiji eras recorded in the inventory.
Changes in enamel palettes and wiring finesse across the nineteenth century help establish approximate production decades.
What subjects appear on these plates?
Iconography ranges from natural elements like bamboo, Mount Fuji, and owls to mythological figures including dragons, Ho-o birds, and demons.
Master artisans also depicted human figures such as samurai and Buddhas alongside marine life like shrimp.