To date a piece
of Ming blue and white ware, it is instructive to study the following 3
aspects:
All the 3 aspects mentioned must be considered as a whole to derive at an accurate dating. The first two aspects would enable you to place the dating of a piece of Ming blue and white to one of the 3 phases, early (Hongwu to Tianshun), Mid (Chenghua to Zhengde) or late Ming (Jiajing to Chongzhen). To further narrow down on the dating, we would need to look into the 3rd aspect.
Painting
Techniques
Lines (Brush Strokes) The potters of the Early Ming period used calligraphic strokes to draw the motifs. To execute the strokes, the brush is held upright to write with its brush tip. By combining writing and stippling movements, brushstrokes are created which can be described as round, wet, soft, elastic and rhythmic. The lines shows variation in thickness. This style of brush strokes was used generally till the Zhengde period. There are still some from Jiajing or later which used calligraphic strokes but could be singled out by by applying additional dating guidelines.
From Jiajing period onward, the lines for the motif are generally executed in even thickness and appear stiffer when compared to the earlier period. The Chinese described it as iron-thread lines.
Wash Methods Before Tianshun period, motifs were depicted using calligraphic strokes. From around Tianshun period onward, the potters started to apply a wash of blue over part of the motif such as the flower or clothing of human figure. There are two wash methods: Pigmented-Wash method The pigmented-wash method was adopted by potters from Tianshun to Early Jiajing period. To create the wash, the potter press the tip of the colored brush and either stippled or swept gently at area to be coloured. The wash applied using this method has uneven tone of blue. Waterdrop-wash method The waterdrop wash method was most commonly used on blue and white from Late Wanli onward . The motif is outlined with even thickness iron-thread lines. The wash effect is created by dragging a pigmented water drop (suspended on the tip of the brush) across the area desired. This technique required great skill and creates a even coat of blue.
Generally, if the composition of the motifs used solely calligraphic strokes, the piece of blue and white is usually dated to before Tianshun period. From Tianshun to Zhengde, the composition of the motif usually involved calligraphic and pigmented wash. There are also those from Chenghua to early Jiajing that used full pigmented wash method. Those from Late Jiajing onwards usually used the iron-thread outline and waterdrop wash method. For more examples, please click below link: I must stress that this is a general guidelines. It is not unusual to find a dying style still used on small quantity of the production while a new style was developed and finally replaced the former. However, despite the persistence of the older style of execution of the motif, other aspects will reveal its actual age. For example, the calligraphic style was used to decorate the motif on a bowl. On first look, one would think it is dated to before Tianshun. However, the potting of the bowl is thin. This is a feature not found before Tianshun. Hence, we should look further and fully assessed all other aspects to derive at an accurate dating.
Form/shape, glaze and cobalt Generally, the potting of Ming vessels is thick in the early Ming period and became increasingly thinner. It is became very obvious from Jiajing period onward. For bowls, the wall of the footring is thick during the early Ming period and became typically thin from Jiajing period onward. One exception was some bowls with the Yu-bi type of broad footring wall found in Tiangqi/Chongzhen. (see below photo). A large number of the bowls also have unglaze outer base during early Ming period. .
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For type of bowls that could be found during the Ming period, please click below links: The glaze of vessels before Jiajing is generally thick and thin after Jiajing. A large number of vessels in early Ming tends to be underfired and do not have a clear ring when tap. During Jiajing period, a type of cobalt called Hui Qing was mixed with local cobalt to produce a purplish blue. It was used on some of the vessels from Jiajing to Tianqi period. During Wanli/Tianqi, there is also a group of blue and white which has a silvery gray tone to the cobalt blue.
Type and Evolution of Motifs If you want to date a Ming vessel better than just a broad Early Ming, Mid Ming or Late Ming categorisation, you would need to study the motifs and understand how they evolved over the Ming period. I have used motifs found in bowls for most of the illustrations but it is applicable also for other types of vessels. Some of the popular motifs and how they evolved are illustrated below: Evolution of motifs
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