Cloisonné: From East to West, and back again

CGTN Europe

The town of Longwy in northeastern France is famous for its unique cloisonné ceramics, blending Chinese artistic influences with French techniques.   Originally a European craft that traveled to China via the Silk Road, cloisonné evolved into the intricate Chinese style known today before returning to Europe with new influences.   This cultural exchange highlights how art transcends borders.   #tracesofchina

Transcript

00:00I think Cloisonné also gives a good example of the exchange of technology that came from

00:10west to east and came back from east to west.

00:14On the northeastern border of France is the small town of Longueuil, famous for a particular

00:20type of ceramics that has become renowned here over the past century, a style that Jacques

00:25Bifert was introduced to from a young age.

00:28Here we have the influences of China, where we will recognise the dragon.

00:34Here we have emos that look like Chinese Cloisonné emos, but which are emos from Longueuil.

00:43That is to say that we have a Chinese style, a Chinese influence and a Western technology,

00:51a French technology.

00:53And what are we going to do at that moment?

00:56Voilà.

00:57Cloisonné is an ancient art form that began its life in Europe and then travelled to China

01:04along the Silk Road in the 1400s.

01:07There the intricate craft saw significant development to become the iconic Chinese style

01:13we would recognise today.

01:15If there was one thing to remember about Chinese artists, that depending on the places where

01:21you go and the centuries when the pieces were produced, it's not exactly the same kind

01:26of culture.

01:27China has evolved, has changed.

01:29So it's very hard to define Chinese art.

01:32Yes, it is.

01:33In fact, you should always use the plural, Chinese arts, and when you're talking about

01:38Chinese arts, you should define what kind of art you are talking about.

Category

Transcript

Recommended