What does porcelain mean in the song Porcelain?
"Porcelain" is a song by American electronica musician Moby. It was released as the sixth single from his fifth studio album Play on June 12, 2000. Its melancholic lyrics describe the break-up of a relationship and were written by Moby – who also performs lead vocals on the track – based on his own reflections on past romantic affections.
What is the origin of porcelain?
Porcelain originated in China. Although proto-porcelain wares exist dating from the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BCE), by the Eastern Han Dynasty period (196–220) glazed ceramic wares had developed into porcelain.
What is Songsong ceramics?
Song ceramics, made in a variety of shapes for imperial, religious and daily use, are distinguished by simple yet sophisticated shapes and forms.
Is porcelain a universal term?
However, the term "porcelain" lacks a universal definition and has "been applied in an unsystematic fashion to substances of diverse kinds which have only certain surface-qualities in common".
How do I know if my Chinese porcelain is valuable?
To evaluate the age of Chinese porcelain, and thus the era it was manufactured within, the following must be assessed – in this order:Shape of the item.Colour palette.Decorative style.Base and foot of the item.Glazed finish.Clay.Signs of ageing.Any marks on the item.
What are the types of Chinese porcelain?
6 Types of Chinese PorcelainTang Sancai (prevalent 700–900 AD) Sancai pottery. ... White Porcelain (prevalent 1000–1400 AD) White porcelain. ... Blue and White Porcelain(prevalent 1400–1700) ... Celadon(prevalent 1000–1600) ... Black Porcelain (prevalent 1000–1300) ... Qing Porcelain/Enamel Painted Porcelain (prevalent 1700–1900)
What makes Chinese porcelain so valuable?
“The main things that determine the value of a piece are the market for that type of piece, its condition, and the provenance,” Paloympis explains. The first two criteria seem obvious, but a work's provenance—the record of its past ownership—holds an exceptional importance in the world of Chinese ceramics.
Is Chinese porcelain good?
There are different grades of porcelain, which is something to keep in mind when purchasing. The higher quality porcelains made in China are fired longer or more often than lower grades. The best Chinese porcelain is valued for its durability, thinness, and bright, colorful artwork.
How can you tell fake Chinese porcelain?
3:5511:17Fake Chinese Porcelain on eBay, Spotting Copies of AntiquesYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd decoration you have seen the first thing you want to look at is look how stiff it is all of itMoreAnd decoration you have seen the first thing you want to look at is look how stiff it is all of it is too stiff - repetitious.
What is the difference between porcelain and ceramic?
The major difference between porcelain tile and ceramic tile is how it's made. Both tiles are made from a clay mixture that's fired in a kiln, but porcelain tile is made from more refined clay and it's fired at higher temperatures. This makes it denser and more durable than ceramic tile.
Why is Chinese porcelain blue and white?
The colour blue gained special significance in the history of Chinese ceramics during the Tang dynasty (618-907). The distinctive colour in blue-glazed pottery and porcelain comes from cobalt ores imported from Persia, which were a scarce ingredient at the time and used in only limited quantities.
Why is porcelain called china?
It is called china in English because it was first made in China, which fully explains that the delicate porcelain can be the representative of China.
Is Chinese porcelain expensive?
For example, a Southern Chinese 17th-century blue and white provincial bowl made in 1640, may be valued at $40. Yet a bowl from the Republic Period, which is post-1911, painted by a famous enameller or exterior porcelain painter, may be worth several hundred thousand dollars.
Which is better bone china or porcelain?
High quality fine bone china contains at least 30% bone ash, enabling thin, walled pieces to be made with a more delicate appearance and translucency compared to porcelain, and allowing for greater chip resistance and durability. Fine bone china is thinner and lighter in weight than porcelain.
What is the difference between porcelain and china?
As it turns out, they're the same thing, according to Noritake: "Many people are confused as to the difference between 'china' and 'porcelain. ' The two terms describe the same product. The term 'china' comes from its country of origin, and the word 'porcelain' comes from the Latin word 'porcella,' meaning seashell.
Can you put porcelain in the microwave?
Porcelain and ceramic cookware are typically microwave-safe dishes, but ensure they do not have a metal lining. Ceramic cookware is a type of clay dish that is durable and resistant to heat. Traditional ceramic is an excellent choice for microwave cooking.
What are different types of china?
The varieties are typically classified into several groups: Mandarin, Wu, Min, Xiang, Gan, Hakka and Yue, though some varieties remain unclassified....Varieties of Chinese.ChineseLinguistic classificationSino-Tibetan ChineseEarly formsOld Chinese Eastern Han ChineseSubdivisionsMandarin Jin Wu Hui Gan Xiang Min Hakka Yue Ping18 more rows
How do you identify Chinese pottery marks?
According to the ancient Chinese tradition of writing and reading, the marks on the bottom of a porcelain vessel are usually read from top to bottom, and from right to left. Marks written horizontally are read from right to left.
What is Japanese porcelain called?
Thus Arita porcelain is also often known as Imari. Arita ware was the first porcelain product in Japanese history, and strongly influenced European ceramics.
Why is Chinese porcelain blue and white?
The colour blue gained special significance in the history of Chinese ceramics during the Tang dynasty (618-907). The distinctive colour in blue-glazed pottery and porcelain comes from cobalt ores imported from Persia, which were a scarce ingredient at the time and used in only limited quantities.
What is porcelain made of?
Porcelain is also made from clay but at a higher temperature than ceramics. Normally a higher temperature of 2600 degree Fahrenheit is applied when making porcelain. Ceramic is opaque whereas porcelain is translucent. Porcelain has a fine and smooth surface, which is said to resemble the smoothness of an eggshell, and the material, ...
When was blue and white porcelain made?
Blue-and-white has continuously been the main-stream of Chinese porcelain manufacture since at least the early 11th century. For the present, the earliest date for blue-and-white is still the 1551 of the David vases.
What is monochrome porcelain?
The term monochrome, in fact, covers two types of wares. The first is porcelain with a coloured glaze fired at high temperatures together with the body; examples are the “sacrificial red”, “sacrificial blue” and the various celadons.
What is the difference between a monochrome and a celadon?
The former are “monochrome glazes” while the latter may be called “monochrome enamels”. The general glass of high-fired wares known as “celadons” with a surface glaze of grey to olive-green and bluish-green, thin or thick, clear or somewhat opaque, has an ancestry as early as the Shang period in Chinese history.
What period produced an improved black glaze?
K’ang-hsi period produced an improved black glaze. White wares have been produced in China since prior to the Tang Dynasty and have always held an important place in ceramic art. Probably the very first porcelains produced by the Ming potters for the Imperial Court of the time were the white wares.
What were the three types of red glazes?
During this time, three kinds of red glazes were commonly used: sacrificial red, Lang-yao, and peach-bloom, each with its own characteristic features. The other class of monochromes, the monochrome enamels, began in the reign of Hsuan-te in the Ming period.
Where did copper red glaze come from?
The earliest significant copper red glaze was that found in the Chun wares of the Sung Dynasty. Accomplishment in the much loved copper-red wares did not reach its proper heights until the Yuan Dynasty and was brought to perfection in the early Ming Dynasty.
What color is a porcelain vessel?
Renowned for their subtle monochrome glazes — tones can vary from milky white to pale green, sky blue to intense smoky black — the porcelain vessels have been closely studied and imitated through centuries by scholars, collectors and other artists. In the 21st century, their strikingly modern aesthetic endures.
How tall is the Song Yuan?
A group of six miniature vessels, Song-Yuan dynasty (AD 960-1368). 3⅛ in (8 cm) tall, the largest, various boxes. Estimate: $5,000-7,000. Offered in Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art on 22 March 2019 at Christie’s in New York. ‘We have a variety of sales at varying levels,’ Chang continues.
Where can I find longquan celadons?
And finally, the Museums of Oriental Ceramics in Osaka, Japan, has an extensive collection of Longquan celadons. ‘In Japan, celadons have been traditionally revered by collectors,’ Chang says.
Is porcelain an organic material?
Given that porcelain is not an organic material, collectors of Song ceramics don’t have to worry about the temperature and humidity of the room in which they display their objects. However the pieces are fragile, which means that shielding them behind glass is the safest — and most advisable — option for display.
Is Song ceramics expensive?
Given their rarity, Song ceramics are highly priced objects. The millions paid for Ru ware, however, shouldn’t scare off burgeoning collectors: there are many examples of Song ceramics in great condition that are relatively affordable, running in the thousands of dollars.
What are the shapes of the Song Dynasty?
In general, the shapes of Song Dynasty are simple and sedate by comparison to what preceded them and what was to follow. Likewise, the glazes tend to be monochromatic and subtle, a fluid, integral part of the form of the vessel they cover, with a depth of color and texture that invites the spectator to both touch and contemplate.
What dynasty was ceramics?
Song Dynasty Ceramics. Chinese ceramics of the Song Dynasty (960–1279) constitute perhaps the foremost expression of ceramic art, not only in China but in the entire world. During the Song period, a unity of the essential components fundamental to the art: vessel shape, potting techniques, glaze, decoration, firing processes, ...
How is porcelain made?
Porcelain can be made using all the shaping techniques for pottery. It was originally typically made on the potter's wheel, though moulds were also used from early on. Slipcasting has been the most common commercial method in recent times.
Where did porcelain come from?
The European name, porcelain in English, comes from the old Italian porcellana ( cowrie shell) because of its resemblance to the surface of the shell. Porcelain is also referred to as china or fine china in some English-speaking countries, as it was first seen in imports from China.
Why is porcelain fired at a higher temperature than earthenware?
Porcelain is fired at a higher temperature than earthenware so that the body can vitrify and become non-porous.
What is porcelain moonflask?
Qianlong period, 1736 to 1796. Porcelain ( / ˈpɔːrsəlɪn /) is a ceramic material made by heating materials, generally including a material like kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between 1,200 and 1,400 °C (2,200 and 2,600 °F). The strength, and translucence ...
Where was hard paste porcelain invented?
Hard-paste porcelain was invented in China, and also used in Japanese porcelain, and most of the finest quality porcelain wares are in this material. The earliest European porcelains were produced at the Meissen factory in the early 18th century; they were formed from a paste composed of kaolin and alabaster and fired at temperatures up to 1,400 °C (2,552 °F) in a wood-fired kiln, producing a porcelain of great hardness, translucency, and strength. Later, the composition of the Meissen hard paste was changed and the alabaster was replaced by feldspar and quartz, allowing the pieces to be fired at lower temperatures. Kaolinite, feldspar and quartz (or other forms of silica) continue to constitute the basic ingredients for most continental European hard-paste porcelains.
What are the three main categories of porcelain?
Though definitions vary, porcelain can be divided into three main categories: hard-paste, soft-paste and bone china. The category that an object belongs to depends on the composition of the paste used to make the body of the porcelain object and the firing conditions.
Which dynasty controlled the porcelain trade?
The Ming dynasty controlled much of the porcelain trade, which was expanded to Asia, Africa and Europe via the Silk Road. In 1517, Portuguese merchants began direct trade by sea with the Ming dynasty, and in 1598, Dutch merchants followed. Some porcelains were more highly valued than others in imperial China.
Overview
"Porcelain" is a song by American electronic musician Moby. It was released as the sixth single from his fifth studio album Play on April 25, 2000. Written by Moby, who also performs vocals on the recording, "Porcelain" is a melancholic song with lyrics reflecting on the breakup of a relationship. It features a lush musical backing that incorporates reversed strings and various synthesized el…
Background and composition
"Porcelain" was written and produced by Moby for his fifth studio album Play (1999). Moby recorded the song, and the rest of Play, in his apartment in Manhattan's Little Italy neighborhood. According to him, the song's lyrics were inspired by a personal experience: "I was involved with this really, really wonderful woman, and I loved her very much. But I knew deep in my heart of hearts that we had no business being romantically involved. So, it's sort of about being in love wi…
Release
The sixth single from Play, "Porcelain" was first released to radio on April 25, 2000, then issued as a physical single on June 12, 2000. Like other tracks from the album, "Porcelain" was licensed for use in numerous commercials and films. English director Danny Boyle featured "Porcelain" in his 2000 film The Beach, with Moby later crediting the film with significantly raising exposure of the song. "Porcelain" was also notably featured in commercials for the Volkswagen Polo, Bosch, and France …
Critical reception and legacy
Entertainment Weekly's David Browne deemed "Porcelain" a standout track on Play, praising it as a "gorgeous" song anchored by Moby's "plaintive" vocal performance. Chicago Sun-Times critic Jim DeRogatis found the song "emotional and gripping" and remarked that if it "didn't move you (in every sense of the word), then you probably had no pulse." Alexandra Marshall of MTV described "Porcelain" as "a lush little snippet which sounds like a basement tape from a Magnetic Fields EP.…
Music videos
Two separate music videos were produced for "Porcelain". The first version, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, is primarily a simple closeup of a human eye; various images are reflected onto the eye throughout the entire video, including Moby performing the song, people smiling, and a piano being played. This version only aired in European markets and was not released in the US until its inclusion on the 2001 video album Play: The DVD.
External links
• "Porcelain" at Discogs (list of releases)