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德化陶瓷制作历史悠久,制瓷技术在不断发展基础上传承创新。陶瓷制作过程看似原始和简单,但实际上考验了陶艺家对泥土特性的把握和操纵的熟练程度。
2002年由新加坡亚洲文明博物馆出版的《中国白——德化白瓷》(Blanc de Chine—porcelain from Dehua)一书,收录了Kenson Kwok(郭勒逊):A Note on the Construction of Dehua Figures《德化瓷雕结构的一点看法》一文,文中详细讨论了德化传统陶瓷的制作工艺,是一篇不可多得的德化陶瓷研究资料。与此同时,该文结合收藏家希克利收藏的160件德化窑精品,为了解、品鉴、研究德化白瓷提供借鉴。
在郭勒逊的文章中,总结了德化陶瓷三种主要制作方法,即模印成型、注浆成型、及手工捏塑成型,比较系统地对德化瓷雕制作工艺进行诠释。
A Note on the Construction of Dehua Figures by Kenson Kwok
德化瓷雕结构的一点看法 (三)——郭勒逊
(翻译:德化窑遗产文化研究院 孙延燕)
Given the persistence of the press-moulding technique for vessels from the early days of porcelain production in Dehua, it seems natural that this technique should have been extended to the construction of figure models from the mid-Ming period onwards. The rapid production possible with this method compared to hand-modelled figures was an advantage.
鉴于模印成型技术在德化器皿制作的早期阶段便得到持续应用,自明代中期起,这一技术便自然而然地拓展至瓷雕生产领域。与手工制作相比,其快速的生产速度或许可被视作一项显著优势。
The Hickley collection has some forty free-standing figure models of all sizes, ranging from miniatures a few centimeters high to impressive pieces over 35 centimeters high. The collection therefore provides an excellent opportunity to study the construction of Dehua figures. The collection also has numerous examples of multiple figure groups. The construction of figures in group compositions would appear to be similar to that of single figures of the same size. Multiple figure groups are therefore excluded from consideration in this note. Such is the skill with which the Dehua potters cloak and embellish their figure sculptures that it is virtually impossible to tell how they are constructed by looking at the external surfaces. Hand-finishing of the piece further eliminates any tell-tale traces of the production process. It is therefore necessary to examine the figures more closely to gain some clues as to their construction.
希克利的藏品内包含了约40件各式尺寸的独立瓷雕,其范围从仅有几厘米高的微型瓷雕直至高度超 35 厘米的令人赞叹不已的佳作,这些藏品为深入探究德化瓷雕的制作工艺提供了极好的契机。该收藏之中亦存有多个瓷雕群的样本。瓷雕群里瓷雕的塑造手法和同等尺寸单个瓷雕的塑造途径大体上颇为相近。故而,在此便不对瓷雕群的塑造(制作流程)予以更多的阐释。德化陶艺工匠们对瓷雕塑进行装饰的技艺是如此精湛,以至仅凭对它外表的观察,几乎难以洞悉其装饰手法。手工打造的瓷雕更是将生产过程中的奥秘隐匿得严严实实。因此,为了获取有关其制作方法的蛛丝马迹,对这些瓷雕展开更为细致深入的探究实属必要。
图3:大型模印成型观音内腔