Curator talk: Colour in Chinese ceramics and glass

From subtle earthen tones to vibrant yellows, pinks and reds, the colours of Chinese ceramics and glass are as rich in meaning as they are in beauty.  

Over thousands of years, Chinese potters perfected ceramic production, creating glazes inspired by the natural world and giving them poetic names such as moon-white, peach bloom red and the blue of the sky after rain.  

Colour became a way to express taste, status and fashion, with strict rules governing which colours could be used by members of the imperial court and civil service. 

Chinese glassmakers also developed an extraordinary palette through centuries of experimentation, producing colours such as bean green, blue golden star and persimmon yellow.  

This talk explores the meanings behind these remarkable colours and the techniques used to create them, through a tour of Bristol’s world-class Chinese collection. 

 Speaker

Kate Newnham, Senior Curator, Visual Arts and curator of Asian art collection at Bristol Museums.