Benjarong Art Porcelain

Posted in Antiques on 06/07/2010 10:37 pm by admin

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Benjarong Art Porcelain

The beauty is priceless Discover Thailand

The Benjarong is Thailand's priceless contribution to ceramics in Asia. Once the prized possession royal palaces and high class people, which is today the pride and perfection of ancient Thai craftsmanship.

But what exactly is Benjarong and why they have such magical qualities to the pure beauty and serenity? Read on to unravel the history and performance of this work of ancient art.

Benjarong History

During the early Ayutthaya period (1350 - 1767), Thai artisans made some colorful raw clay known today as Benjarong - a period based on the Sanskrit words panch, meaning five, and rang, which means color, so it literally means the "five colors. The style of painting in enamels of various colors on a white porcelain was influenced by the Ming dynasty of China, and the 17 th century, Benjarong became the exclusive possession of the home of the rulers and nobility - which marks a period in which Benjarongs high quality with unique designs in Thailand occurred. color glazes added to the enamel is fused to the surface on a descending scale of temperature. The Benjarongs were also decorated with motifs such as thepanoms swirling flames and Thai style, or celestial beings. These were made exclusively for the royal household and utilitarian items such as rice bowls, plates and Mother covered water jars. Soon after, the artisans applied 12 or 18 carat gold Benjarongs to improve their appearance.

Making a Benjarong

The realization of Benjarong is a long and arduous process that requires patience and complete dedication. A prolonged heat treatment is required after the object is made, and again after the hand painting is done. The drying process of hand painting can not be accelerated by using a fan or blower, since this prevents the colors from the merger of ceramics.

The process:

1.The handmade pottery in the specific size and shape desired.
2.The ceramic is heated above 500 degrees for more than 6-7 hours.
3.A few hours devoted to polishing the ceramic in the oven to soften the surface.
4.A thin layer of glaze is applied on the smoothed pottery.
5.The ceramic is heated again to give a glazed surface and polished.
6.A craftsman then paints some designs in hand polished ceramic.
7.Every color must be completely dry to apply a new color, taking hours or days to complete.
8.The finished by hand painting on pottery is dried for 6 hours.
9.The painted ceramic heats up again over 500 degrees for 5-6 hours, as this ensures colors that blend into the Benjarong.

Today, Benjarong is one of the most popular types of ceramics in Thailand. Known as the most exquisite of her hand painted designs, surprisingly these masterpieces are produced exclusively for only the most talented and highly skilled Thai artisans.

About the Author

Sawaddee Khrap! My name is Yanapat Jaenjira; you can call me Pat. I am the founder of Royal Benjarong. My team and I have plans to launch an online store to promote Thai culture and conveniently provide the best quality Benjarongs available. Please take 30 seconds to fill up the Benjarong survey below. We appreciate your precious contribution and hope to serve your needs in the near future.