Microscopic analysis of overglaze green pigment on Chinese famille rose porcelain from the Imperial Palace.

Famille rose porcelain made in the imperial workshop was one of the symbols of the highest manufacturing techniques in ancient China. It was very precious and only owned by the royals for a long time. Because of its complex making technology, overglaze green pigment painted on famille rose porcelain shows many variations. In this work, selected porcelain shards that were excavated at the Forbidden City were analyzed by using microscopy observation, micro-Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer to obtain a deep understanding of overglaze green pigment technique on famille rose porcelain. The results revealed that four types of green pigment are used in the selected samples. With different recipes and combinative ways on green pigment and opaque white pigment, craftsmen can choose the using method of pigment to get the effect they want.

Nondestructive analysis of dragonfly eye beads from the warring states period, excavated from a Chu tomb at the Shenmingpu site, Henan Province, China.

Dragonfly eye beads are considered to be the earliest types of glass objects in China, and in the past have been considered as evidence of culture interaction or trade between West and East Asia. In this article, synchrotron radiation microcomputed tomography and µ-probe energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence were used to determine the chemical composition, microstructure, and manufacturing technology of four dragonfly eye beads, excavated from a Chu tomb at the Shenmingpu site, Henan Province, China, dated stylistically to the Middle and Late Warring State Period (475 BC-221 BC). First, a nondestructive method was used to differentiate the material types including faience (glazed quartz), frit, glazed pottery (clay ceramic), and glass. Three beads were identified as faience and one bead as glazed pottery. The glaze recipe includes quartz, saltpeter, plant ash, and various copper, and is classified as belonging to the K2O-CaO-SiO2 glass system, which indicates that these beads were not imported from the West. Based on computed tomography slices, the manufacturing technology of the faience eye beads appears to include the use of an inner core, molding technology, and the direct application glazing method. These manufacturing features are consistent with the techniques used in China during this same time period for bronze mold-casting, proto-porcelain, and glass.