The rock and wave design or motif is found painted in the outer borders of some Asian ceramics. It originated in Chinese porcelain of the Yuan dynasty, and was later very often used in Iznik pottery and other Turkish ceramics.[1] It represents turbulent waves breaking onto rocks, which are generally depicted as a regular pattern with a considerable degree of stylization, especially in the Turkish examples. It is normally in blue and white, even where other parts of the piece use other colours.
Top of a Yuan-dynasty vase, with a rock-and-wave zone in middle
Iznik pottery dish with the so-called dollar pattern, c. 1550–1600
The "rocks" are represented by blue spiral lines on a white background, and the waves by irregular shapes in white, sometimes with lines within them.[2]
Turkish versions of the design were produced by c. 1500 if not earlier.[3] The Turkish designs are sometimes criticized as "poorly understood" versions of the Chinese motif,[4] and in many pieces the design seems to have lost the sense of the marine subject.
"Rock and wave" is a brusque Western version of the Chinese name pao-shan hai-shui (寶山海水), meaning "precious mountains and the sea". A related pattern, without the waves, is called the "rock of ages pattern"; there is also much decoration with just wave patterns. Another term used for the regular spiral motifs in Turkish pieces is "ammonite scrolls".[5]
In later Turkish ceramics, especially the 17th century, a version developed where the "rocks" were white spaces across the width of the border, and within them a blue or black scroll resembling a letter "S" on its side. These pieces are described in the West as using the dollar pattern, from the resemblance to the $ sign.[6]
History
Decoration representing waves had a considerable history in Chinese art in various media, often as a background for dragons and other sea monsters.[7] These tended to use groups of parallel lines, rising and falling, and passing into each other. Sometimes the waves had breaking crests, typically left in white.[8] Eventually these turned into the "rocks" of the standard border pattern.
Chinese influences on Islamic pottery were already considerable and of long standing before much of the Islamic world was briefly politically united with China in the Mongol Empire. Large quantities of Chinese pottery were sent as diplomatic gifts, and there was also considerable trade. Many Chinese wares were designed for Islamic needs and tastes, in particular the large flattish plates which suited Islamic dining customs, rather than the deeper bowls of different sizes used by the Chinese themselves. The development of blue and white pottery in China, with detailed underglaze painting in cobalt blue pigments from Iran is generally seen as a result of cross-fertilization of artisans and techniques from different parts of the empire.[9]
Fine Iznik wares closely imitating Chinese blue and white were produced from the 1520s onwards, taking as their models Chinese pieces from several decades earlier. This probably reflected both Ottoman taste, and the Chinese pieces available in Turkey, considerably boosted by the loot from Ottoman military campaigns that took Damascus and in 1514 Tabriz.[10]
Chinese wave background on a mid-15th-century Ming vase
^"Large plate with floral decoration - Discover Islamic Art - Virtual Museum". islamicart.museumwnf.org. from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
Savage, George, and Newman, Harold, An Illustrated Dictionary of Ceramics, 1985, Thames & Hudson, ISBN0500273804
Vainker, S.J., Chinese Pottery and Porcelain, 1991, British Museum Press, ISBN9780714114705
February 21, 2023
rock, wave, rock, wave, design, motif, found, painted, outer, borders, some, asian, ceramics, originated, chinese, porcelain, yuan, dynasty, later, very, often, used, iznik, pottery, other, turkish, ceramics, represents, turbulent, waves, breaking, onto, rocks. The rock and wave design or motif is found painted in the outer borders of some Asian ceramics It originated in Chinese porcelain of the Yuan dynasty and was later very often used in Iznik pottery and other Turkish ceramics 1 It represents turbulent waves breaking onto rocks which are generally depicted as a regular pattern with a considerable degree of stylization especially in the Turkish examples It is normally in blue and white even where other parts of the piece use other colours Top of a Yuan dynasty vase with a rock and wave zone in middle Detail of a Ming dynasty Yongle Emperor r 1402 1424 era dish Detail of an Iznik pottery dish Iznik pottery dish with the so called dollar pattern c 1550 1600 The rocks are represented by blue spiral lines on a white background and the waves by irregular shapes in white sometimes with lines within them 2 Turkish versions of the design were produced by c 1500 if not earlier 3 The Turkish designs are sometimes criticized as poorly understood versions of the Chinese motif 4 and in many pieces the design seems to have lost the sense of the marine subject Contents 1 Terms 2 History 3 Notes 4 ReferencesTerms Edit Rock and wave is a brusque Western version of the Chinese name pao shan hai shui 寶山海水 meaning precious mountains and the sea A related pattern without the waves is called the rock of ages pattern there is also much decoration with just wave patterns Another term used for the regular spiral motifs in Turkish pieces is ammonite scrolls 5 In later Turkish ceramics especially the 17th century a version developed where the rocks were white spaces across the width of the border and within them a blue or black scroll resembling a letter S on its side These pieces are described in the West as using the dollar pattern from the resemblance to the sign 6 History EditDecoration representing waves had a considerable history in Chinese art in various media often as a background for dragons and other sea monsters 7 These tended to use groups of parallel lines rising and falling and passing into each other Sometimes the waves had breaking crests typically left in white 8 Eventually these turned into the rocks of the standard border pattern Chinese influences on Islamic pottery were already considerable and of long standing before much of the Islamic world was briefly politically united with China in the Mongol Empire Large quantities of Chinese pottery were sent as diplomatic gifts and there was also considerable trade Many Chinese wares were designed for Islamic needs and tastes in particular the large flattish plates which suited Islamic dining customs rather than the deeper bowls of different sizes used by the Chinese themselves The development of blue and white pottery in China with detailed underglaze painting in cobalt blue pigments from Iran is generally seen as a result of cross fertilization of artisans and techniques from different parts of the empire 9 Fine Iznik wares closely imitating Chinese blue and white were produced from the 1520s onwards taking as their models Chinese pieces from several decades earlier This probably reflected both Ottoman taste and the Chinese pieces available in Turkey considerably boosted by the loot from Ottoman military campaigns that took Damascus and in 1514 Tabriz 10 Chinese wave background on a mid 15th century Ming vase Detail of a 15th century Ming flask with spirals Qing dynasty dish with dragon on wave background Iznik dollar pattern c 1580 1585Notes Edit Rawson 141 Large plate with floral decoration Discover Islamic Art Virtual Museum islamicart museumwnf org Archived from the original on 22 January 2023 Retrieved 22 January 2023 Dish Archived 2023 01 22 at the Wayback Machine British Museum Dish with Peacock Design Archived 2023 01 22 at the Wayback Machine Metropolitan Museum of Art quoted Rawson 141 Savage and Newman 246 Savage and Newman 98 Krahl and Harrison Hall 62 80 Rawson 138 141 Vainker 136 140 142 180 181 Vainker 141 142References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rock and wave Krahl Regina and Harrison Hall Jessica Chinese Ceramics Highlights of the Sir Percival David Collection 2009 British Museum Press ISBN 9780714124544 Rawson Jessica Chinese Ornament The Lotus and the Dragon 1984 British Museum Publications ISBN 0714114316 Savage George and Newman Harold An Illustrated Dictionary of Ceramics 1985 Thames amp Hudson ISBN 0500273804 Vainker S J Chinese Pottery and Porcelain 1991 British Museum Press ISBN 9780714114705 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rock and wave amp oldid 1140681781, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
