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Hello,

Does anyone know how the Chinese potters during the Jizhou period were able to detail image a leaf onto the tenmoku tea bowls?

The understanding is that the leaf was coated with a clear glaze and then put on top of the tenmoku glaze.

I tried that method but did not get the expected result. As you may remember, the image on the Jizhou bowl is that of a leaf but if you look closely you will see leaf veins. I did not get that when I tried.

My email address is : [email protected]

Thanks,
Anthony

See John Britt's quest to reproduce a Jizhou 'leaf' bowl:

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+quest+for+the+illusive+leaf+bowl%3A+John+Britt+describes+his+search...-a0372884215

This subject is touched on briefly beginning on page 246 in comments about Jizhou leaf tea bowls in The New York Metropolitan Museum's 1996 publication, "Possessing the Past - Treasures of the National Palace Museum, Taipei", by Wen C. Fong and James C. Y. Watt.

It says:

"One of the most fascinating effects achieved by Jizhou potters is that of the leaf pattern ( pl. 126). It is generally agreed that a natural leaf (after immersion in water, so that only the veins remained) was used. However, it is not yet known whether the leaf was applied on top of the black glaze or in between two layers of glaze. (56) Also, the question remains whether the chemical content of the veins was in itself sufficient to change the color of the glaze, so as to leave a clear impression after firing."

The footnote cited in the penultimate sentence cites "Jiang Xuanyi, 'Jizhou Yao: Jianzhi wenyang tieyinde zuqi' - 'Jizhou ware: Porcelain with stamped cut paper decoration' (Beijing Wenwu Chubanshe, 1958)', p. 47"

Hope this helps your cause.

Bill H.

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