Cloisonné are metal objects made with intricate designs and works of art that have been a unique work of art and creativity since ancient times. It is a unique way of designing metal objects with precious stones, glass materials, enamel paints and other decorative objects that make this art an advantage over other craft materials. The decoration of metal objects by initially adding compartments to metal objects with gold and silver threads. Once soldered, they are finished with enamel paints and then fired in an oven. This work of art has its existence since ancient times and has been as old as the 13th century BC.
The existence of this work of art has been mainly in Europe, Asia and North America. However, this delicate work of art has its existence mainly in China and Japan. Although Chinese and Japanese cloisonne are almost similar, there are a few differences that will help you purchase the right piece of art.
In this article, I will provide you with the common difference between Chinese and Japanese cloisonne.
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1. The simplest and easiest way to tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese cloisonne is to look at the edge and edge of the two metal objects. Chinese cloisonné are smooth and shiny turquoise interior finished products. By contrast, Japanese cloisonné has an orange peel texture to the glaze. The Chinese pieces have their edges decorated with Ruyi. Ruyi are colored decorative elements that are 1 inch wide. They look like an upside down cloverleaf with a dot in the center of each cloverleaf. However, Japanese cloisonné does not have such wide edges on its metal pieces. Instead, they use fine rim decorations that are mostly reddish-brown, blue, or green. These fine decorations are dots that are decorated on the edges of the metal piece.
2. There is a big difference in the birth of cloisonné objects in China and Japan. Chinese cloisonné was well developed and open to trade before Japan. On the contrary, Japan has always kept itself safe and secure from the whole world and thus developed this art and started trading a few centuries later. Chinese cloisonné began to develop this work of art as early as 1300 and it was gradually adapted by other artists. Japan also initially adopted the Chinese method of decorating metal vases and bowls in the 1830s, and later, in the 1870s, they developed their own unique style of creating and finishing artwork. So, in other words, we can say that the roots of cloisonné are in China and then in other countries. However, the Japanese have proven to be an ace in cloisonné objects.
3. Although Japanese cloisonné came into being late, however, they have overtaken China. And from now on, Japanese cloisonne has a larger variety of cloisonne compared to Chinese cloisonne. The most famous types of Japanese cloisonné are Ginbari, Akasuke, and Totai. What is different in the three styles lies in their finish. Totai was covered with a brown tree bark texture, Ginbari with shiny, translucent glazes, and Akasuke with a light red glaze.
4. The difference also lies in the marks or seals of the cloisonné of two countries. Chinese cloisonné was often sealed or marked with bright enamel. The seal was printed between 1897 and 1921 for the export trade, and was often encrypted with “made in china” after 1921 and only “china” from 1897 to 1912. In contrast, Japanese cloisonné was not marked nor sealed. This was mainly because Japanese cloisonné was being exported from local customers who did not require any export markings.
5. There is a slight difference in the enamel coating of the cloisonne from the two countries. The bottom of Chinese cloisonné is coated with enamel to strengthen it for the high heat of the kiln. Enamel coating was done to protect the base from cracking or wrapping from excessive heating. Japanese cloisonné had no such enamel coating and instead were decorated with cloisonné wires with an orange peel texture coating.
6. The designs of the two artworks were also different. Chinese cloisonné was primarily designed and decorated with symmetrical designs that symbolize nature, such as seasonal flowers, Buddhist lotus patterns, or mythical animals such as kara-shishi, winged horses, or phoenixes. Japanese cloisonné used symbols such as the empress or emperor of Japan. They use mostly asymmetrical designs with a more crowded appearance than Chinese cloisonné. A common design that was used by the two countries was a dragon motif. The only difference in the dragon motif lies in the number of fingers represented. A Japanese cloisonné had three toes represented, while Chinese cloisonné had four or five toes represented.
7. Regarding the gilding and finishing of the two cloisonné; Chinese cloisonné uses gold gilding to protect them from heat. The surfaces of Chinese cloisonné are often glassy and brightly colored. In the case of Japanese cloisonné, all the metal objects are not gilded but instead have a combination of copper, silver, and brass threads.
8. Most Japanese cloisonné had unusual shapes and sizes in contrast to Chinese cloisonné which had symmetrical shapes that included an incense burner, a vase, and two candle holders.
9. Japanese cloisonné bodies were mostly made of copper or bronze, and Chinese cloisonné had bronze bodies. However, Chinese cloisonné copper sheet bodies were introduced in the early 16th century.
10. Compared with Chinese cloisonne, Japanese cloisonne is more polished and reflects light.
I believe that the more we get to know the difference between Chinese and Japanese cloisonne, the better we can differentiate between the two and gather more knowledge when buying them. Although there is a difference between the two countries, you will find a wide variety of vintage designs and creativity in both metal pieces.
