Song Dynasty celadon vase (circa 1100 AD)
Celadon is a lovely muted shade of pale green which became famous as a porcelain glaze long ago in ancient dynastic China. Although the technique for making the glaze was invented during the Tang dynasty, the zenith of celadon porcelain making was attained during the Sung dynasty when so many of the aesthetic conventions of Chinese culture came into flower.
A ‘longquan’ celadon ‘lotus’ bowl. Song dynasty. photo Sotheby’s
The perfect serenity of well-made celadon vessels has been compared to Buddhist enlightenment. Additionally, according to ancient folklore, celadon serviceware and drinking vessels would change color in the presence of poison. Sadly this latter fact is an outright myth, however if the lie resulted in more celadon being produced then perhaps it was worth a few surprised dead Chinese nobles. Celadon porcelain is magnificent.
A Longquan meiping vase with celadon glaze, (Early Ming dynasty)
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December 11, 2013 at 11:46 PM
monarda
Indeed, it is breathtaking.
I have read that it is also the principal type of pottery in Korea, where its manufacture reached great heights of sophistication.
The etymology of the European word for the pale green color is also of some interest. It is supposed to be named for the male protagonist of the lengthy Baroque pastoral romance, L’Astrée (1607), by Honoré d’Urfé : the young shepherd Céladon, who wore ribbons (or robes) of this shade of green, is the lover of the eponymous nymph Astrée. (Eric Rohmer’s last film was a dramatization of this work.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L'Astr%C3%A9e
Perhaps you and your readers already know all this, but it was news to me that the eccentric nineteenth century French socialist Charles Fourier, “in his work ‘The social destiny of man: or, Theory of the four movements,’ . . . discussed celadony (l’amour Céladonique), describing it as purely spiritual love embodied by Céladon in L’Astrée.” So says wikipedia.
“If this young man has a vegetable love, which is much too pure for me,
Then what a very very very pure young man, this pure young man must be.”
But it really is radiantly pure!
December 11, 2013 at 11:58 PM
Wayne
Thanks for the background information! I enjoyed “The Romance of Astrea and Celadon” when I watched it a few years ago, but I never made the connection between the Arcadian antics of lovestruck swains (as envisioned by 17th century French noblemen) and the glaze of Asian porcelain!
You are right that Korea has also produced some superb celadon porcelain–indeed, it is something of a national art form there (although the color strikes me as greener than the characteristic Chinese pieces).
December 12, 2013 at 10:36 AM
monarda
I am planning to watch “The Romance of Astrea and Celadon” tonight — just from the video jacket, I don’t think it will have any celadon green in it though, speaking of green. Rohmer’s “The Green Ray” is one of my favorite films. I realize it is a religious allegory, but I don’t think you have to be religious to be moved by it.
Incidentally, speaking of the “Green Ray” I went and read Jules Verne’s novel afterwards. Interestingly, in that book, the true lovers never see the ray because they are too busy looking into each others’ eyes. Verne was a rationalist! But the book is a protest — playful remonstrance really, against too much, or the wrong kind of rationalism.
December 12, 2013 at 5:28 PM
Harold
A similar color, one dear to gardeners, is “glaucus” (or “glaucous”) , a blue-gray green named after a merman. Plants with leaves this color are greatly prized.
December 14, 2013 at 2:26 PM
Wayne
I wrote a post about the color glaucous a while back, but I was unaware of the merman connection. Please tell me more!
December 15, 2013 at 12:03 AM
Beatrix
I’m sure you wanted to know this-
Celadon is Martha stewart’s favorite color.
December 16, 2013 at 8:39 PM
Wayne
Actually, I hear Martha’s empire is starting to blow apart…like the Sung dynasty in the 13th century.