Blue-and-White Painting
A technique of painting blue designs on white ceramic, using cobalt pigment under a clear glaze.
What is it?
Blue-and-white painting is a ceramic decoration technique. The artist paints designs with cobalt oxide, which turns blue after firing. Then the piece is covered with a clear glaze and fired again. This technique was perfected in China during the Yuan and Ming dynasties. The pilgrim flask you captured uses this technique. The blue-and-white flask in your collection is a classic example of this style.
Why it matters
Blue-and-white ceramics became one of the most popular and traded art forms in history. They influenced pottery in the Middle East and Europe.
Where you've seen it
This list grows as you capture more blue-and-white objects.