Cloisonne

Cloisonne is an enamel ware, in which the colors of the design are kept apart by thin metal strips. The making of cloisonne integrates bronze and porcelain-working skills, traditional painting and etching.It is the pinnacle of traditional Chinese handicraft. Beijing is where cloisonne making originated. The earliest extant cloisonne was made in the Yuan dynasty 1270-1368. The best was made during the Xuande period 1426-1456 of the Ming Dynasty. During the Jingtai period 1450-1435 of the Ming, handicraftsmen found a dark-blue enamel which gave cloisonne a gorgeous, solemn look and is still used today.

Beijingers like to decorate their homes with cloisonne articles. Young women love cloisonne bracelets and earrings. Cloisonne articles are often used as gifts. In Beijing, most stores sell cloisonne articles , which can be as big as sacrificial utensils, screens, tables and chairs, and as small as chopsticks, earrings, candy boxes, toothpicks and smoking tools. They are works of art as well as articles with practical value. Craftsmen have of late developed a multi-coloring technique for the making of cloisonne, which has resulted in more refined and gorgeous products.