Underglaze-blue and copper-red-decorated tea sets

Qinghua Glaze Red  is a traditional Chinese ceramic craft that combines two techniques: blue & white (Qinghua) and underglaze red . It was especially prominent during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The process is quite intricate and typically involves the following steps:

1. Shaping the Body: First, artisans create the base of the ceramic piece using high-quality clay, ensuring it’s finely crafted.

2. Blue & White Decoration: The next step involves painting the blue designs on the ceramic with a cobalt-based blue pigment. This pigment turns blue at high temperatures.

3. Underglaze Red Decoration: After the blue design is applied, red glaze is used to highlight certain areas. The red glaze is typically copper-based, and through a specific high-temperature process, it turns into a vibrant red color.

4. Glazing and Firing: Finally, the entire piece is coated with a transparent glaze and fired at a high temperature. The color of the underglaze red is very sensitive to firing conditions, meaning that small variations in temperature and atmosphere can significantly affect the final appearance.

The technique requires a high level of craftsmanship, as achieving the correct underglaze red color is particularly challenging. Each piece, therefore, has its own unique colors and textures due to the firing process.

Qinghua Glaze Red works are highly regarded for their exquisite colors and distinctive artistic style, making them highly sought after by collectors and art enthusiasts.