The fast and direct characterization of blue-and-white porcelain glaze from Jingdezhen by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Bao, Zhian; Yuan, Honglin; Wen, Rui; Chen, Kaiyun

doi:10.1039/c5ay00875a

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…S2), which greatly aid their differentiation, but also have authenticating features of Early Ming Period production, such as a dark-blue hue, bleeding effect, and iron spots, indicating the use of imported cobalt pigments and the expected consistency between archaeological typology and literary records. However, the nondestructive results (SI Appendix, Table S1) of the in situ portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analysis demonstrate the presence of an exceptionally high manganese content, which is a signature of Chinese native deposits and is consistent with previous studies on Xuande blue-and-white porcelains (1,4,11,(15)(16)(17)(18)(19).…”

Section: Representative Imperial Blue-and-white Porcelain Sherds Fromsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Specifically, on the basis of the typological evidence (e.g., blue hue, bleeding effect, iron spots) of the cobalt pigments and textual records, archaeologists have declared that the imported Sumali blue from the Middle East was used throughout the Xuande Period, as it had been in the Yuan and Early Ming dynasties (12)(13)(14). In contrast, scientists argue that the imported Islamic pigment was abruptly superseded by Chinese domestic asbolane ores in the Xuande reign given the high Mn/Fe value of blue pigments, which is currently considered an effective empirical criterion to use in tracing chronological changes in the blue pigments (1,(15)(16)(17)(18)(19). As this contradiction involves an…”

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confidence: 99%

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Early globalized industrial chain revealed by residual submicron pigment particles in Chinese imperial blue-and-white porcelains

Jiang

Weng

et al. 2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The success of early Chinese blue-and-white porcelains relied heavily on imported cobalt pigment from the West. In contrast to art-historical concept, which contains both typological evidence and literature records, it is assumed that imported Sumali blue was completely superseded by domestic Chinese asbolane ore based on the analytical results of the Fe/Mn ratio in imperial productions from the Xuande reign (1426 to 1435 CE) onward. Using a focused ion beam transmission electron microscopy technique to reassess this hotly debated question, we have identified two classes of residual submicron pigment particles in the blue glaze with diagnostic differences in morphology, chemical composition, and distribution behavior. Compared with the microstructural features of the blue-and-white porcelains of the Yuan and Qing dynasties, we show that a mixture of imported and domestic cobalt pigments was used for aesthetic reasons, indicating that the overseas supply chain of imported pigment remained consistent and adequate even though the authorities had terminated official trade and tributary activities after the death of Admiral Zheng He. This discovery further suggests that the globalized trading network and cross-regional industrial chain had been extensively established in the 15th century. Moreover, we provide analytical evidence against the fundamental assumption of the current Fe/Mn provenancing criteria, implying that the failures of previous chemical analyses can be attributed to elemental differentiation between the silicate glaze and the arsenic pigment. We propose an innovative method for directly assessing original mineralogic information from submicron residual pigment particles that provides a more reliable way to trace cobalt circulation and holds great promise for provenance studies.

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Section: Representative Imperial Blue-and-white Porcelain Sherds Fromsupporting

confidence: 88%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Early globalized industrial chain revealed by residual submicron pigment particles in Chinese imperial blue-and-white porcelains

Jiang

Weng

et al. 2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…The importation of cobalt from Persia and/or Europe and/or Indonesia during the Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty (1271-1368) has been accepted by many authors [14,99,100,124,128,138,140,[167][168][169][170][171][172][173][174]. The high Fe/Mn value of the blue pigment is considered an effective empirical criterion to recognize the use of Asian cobalt sources [124,138,[167][168][169][170][171][172][173][174]180,[195][196][197][198][199][200][201]. A very recent study by Jiang et al [180] addressed this subject with the analysis of selected pigment particles with different morphology, chemical composition and distribution behaviour in the blue Chinese porcelain glazes, using the sophisticated technique of focused ion beam-transmission electron microscopy (FIB-TEM).…”

Section: Compositional Shift: Mine Origin or Processing Effect?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cobalt and Associated Impurities in Blue (and Green) Glass, Glaze and Enamel: Relationships between Raw Materials, Processing, Composition, Phases and International Trade

2021

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Minerals able to colour in blue (and green in combination with yellow pigments) are limited in number and geologically. After presenting a short history of the use of cobalt as a colouring agent of glass, glaze and enamel in the Western/Mediterranean, Islamic and Asian worlds since Antiquity, we will present the different forms (dissolved ions, natural and synthetic crystalline phases/pigments) of cobalt and associated elements regarding primary (transition metals) and secondary geological deposits (transition metals and/or arsenic, bismuth, silver). Attempts to identify the origin of cobalt have been made by many authors considering the associated elements but without considering the important modifications due to different processing of the raw materials (extraction/purification/formulation). We review the information available in the ancient reports and present literature on the use of cobalt, its extraction and production from the ores, the different geological sources and their relationship with associated elements (transition metals, bismuth, arsenic, and silver) and with technological/aesthetic requirements. (Partial) substitution of cobalt with lapis lazuli is also addressed. The relative application of non-invasive mobile Raman and pXRF analytical instruments, to detect mineral phases and elements associated with/replacing cobalt is addressed, with emphasis on Mamluk, Ottoman, Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese productions. The efficiency of Ni-Zn-As diagram proposed by Gratuze et al. as a classification tool is confirmed but additionally, CoO-Fe2O3−MnO and CoO-NiO-Cr2O3 diagrams are also found as very efficient tools in this research. The relationship between the compositional data obtained from the artefacts and historical questions on the origin and date of their production are discussed in order to obtain a global historical view. The need of a better knowledge of (ancient) deposits of cobalt ores and the evolution of cobalt ore processing with time and place is obvious.

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“…LA-ICP-MS has emerged as a powerful microanalytical technique able to determine trace elements (Gratuze 2001). Many colourants are present in minor or trace amounts (Giussani 2009, Zhu 2015, Bao 2015, Giannini 2017. Moreover, trace elements related to the sand or raw materials used are also of high interest.…”

Section: Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Ceramic technology. How to characterise ceramic glazes

Pradell

Molerà

2020

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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Glazes add value to ceramic; improve its appearance (colour and shine) and make it waterproof. Through the choice of colours and designs, glazes made ceramics fashionable, even luxurious, and therefore, an object of trade. Each region and ruling dynasty developed its own style or trademark which makes them particularly suitable for dating purposes. Therefore, the study and analysis of glazes offers direct information about the acquisition of technical skills (technology), trade of specific materials (inter-regional links), migrations and the introduction/adoption of new trends.

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The fast and direct characterization of blue-and-white porcelain glaze from Jingdezhen by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Abstract: A fast and direct characterization of blue-and-white porcelain glaze from Jingdezhen is proposed using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Cited by 10 publications

References 14 publications

Early globalized industrial chain revealed by residual submicron pigment particles in Chinese imperial blue-and-white porcelains

Early globalized industrial chain revealed by residual submicron pigment particles in Chinese imperial blue-and-white porcelains

Cobalt and Associated Impurities in Blue (and Green) Glass, Glaze and Enamel: Relationships between Raw Materials, Processing, Composition, Phases and International Trade

Ceramic technology. How to characterise ceramic glazes

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