Page:Brinkley - China - Volume 1.djvu/268

 CHINA

in the manufacture, from the potter to the painter, have made a point of servilely copying their model, not except- ing the last coup de main given by the dextrous age-simula- tors of whom we have spoken.

It is here that washing with acid will effect marvels. It should be resorted to at the outset. Then the connoisseur should ascertain how the bottom of the base is made, re- membering the Chinese potter's manner of finishing this part of a specimen. He should then seek for some place where, in consequence of an imperfection or absence of glaze, the paze is entirely exposed. Examined with a mag- nifying glass this place should present the greyish and non- vitreous aspect of little grains in close juxtaposition, some of them sparkling in the light like mica; unless, indeed, there is question of very fine egg-shell, or semi-egg-shell porce- lain, the fracture of which should bear a sensible resem- blance to that of matter almost completely vitrified.

Passing now to the colours, it will be recognised that those of imitation pieces have neither the softness, nor the trans- parency, nor the iridescence, nor the metallic reflections of Chinese enamels, even when the imitator has been able to obtain a luminous appearance by washing in acids cleverly compounded. There are, besides, two enamels which the forgers never succeeded in obtaining, and which are happily found often in decorations of the Extreme Orient. The first is violacious brown, entirely transparent, used by the Chinese to paint branches, trunks of trees, and sometimes flowers or drapery. On imitation pieces this colour is dull, non-transparent, altogether brown, or carmine suggesting the presence of dirty blue. The second of these enamels is that which, obtained from chloride of gold, gives tints of rose colour or deep carmine. On Chinese porcelains this enamel is always brilliant and of remarkably pure tone. On porcelains made in Europe, on the contrary, it is always dull, violaceous, almost claret-like.

As for enamelled grounds over the glaze, thick and uni- formly coloured coats of which, having often great intensity of tone, the Chinese potter applies to the surface, our paint- ers replace them by easily recognised grounds of badger brown.

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