Cloisonne, which is enamel handicraft made with roughcast brass and copper wire inlay, is an art form developed in the 15th century. It first appeared during China's Yuan Dynasty and flourished during Ming rule.
Jingtailan was the name of the dazzling colour of one of the most frequently used cloisonne enamels which appeared at that time, thus it is now used to refer to cloisonne enamels in general. The production process begins with the casting of bronze into different shapes-vases, bowls, boxes, and even bracelets- to which flat copper wire is then affixed in decorative patterns.
Enamels of different colours are applied to fill the " cloisonne" or hollows. Each cloisonne piece is fired three times with a fresh coat of enamel each time. After firing, the pieces are ground and polished to look like gold. This requires sophisticated techniques and artistic flair.
Cloisonne is now used to decorate vases, bowls, lamps, jewelry and ornaments.
INZHU