A new interpretation on the recipe and technological origin of 14–18th century Chinese copper red paint

Abstract

Despite the survival of sophisticated technique of underglaze copper red porcelain in contemporary China, the historical recipe for this paint from the Yuan to Qing dynasty (14–18th century) remains unknown. In this study, analytical methods such as scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), electron probe microanalysis with wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EPMA-WDS), and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were used to examine twenty-seven underglaze copper red and partial copper red glaze samples. The detection of Cu-S and Cu-As phases in microscale particles in the red colour areas reveals that cupric oxide and realgar were the primary raw materials. The use of realgar and other pertinent evidence indicate that the development of underglaze copper red in the Yuan dynasty was influenced by Islamic ceramic. This research provides insights into the technological origins and historical recipe of the underglaze copper red porcelain and highlights potential technological links between Chinese and West Asian ceramics during the Yuan dynasty.