Clay Figure Zhang () is a famous

folk art Folk art covers all forms of visual art made in the context of folk culture. Definitions vary, but generally the objects have practical utility of some kind, rather than being exclusively decorative. The makers of folk art are typically tr ...

Tianjin Tianjin (; ; Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Tientsin (), is a municipality and a coastal metropolis in Northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the nine national central cities in Mainland China, with a total popu ...

, China. It was created by Zhang Mingshan (; 1826–1906) during the Daoguang reign (1821–50) of the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-spea ...

Production Procedure

Clay Figure Zhang is made of ripe

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...

which is pure puddle with little sand through the process of weathering, slurrying, filtrating, evaporating and adding cotton to rub up. It has the characteristics of viscosity. The side materials include wood, vine, lead, paper, flowers and so on. After completely drying, the clay figure is put into the stove for firing. The temperature is up to 700 degree Celsius or so. After coming out of the stove, the clay figure is polished and painted. It takes about 30 days or so to finish a piece of work.

Artistic Attractiveness

The images of Clay Figure Zhang vary from palace maids in costume, historic figures, religious figures, and modern figures to local customs. It is usually displayed indoor, on the shelf for example, because of its small size (usually 20 cm high). Therefore, it is also called Shelf Sculpture. Clay Figure Zhang has vivid realistic characteristics, and can portray the figures' personalities and postures, pursue dissection structures, reasonable exaggerations, suitable acceptances and rejection, and special applying to give attention to both shape and spirit and have great originality.

Modern Development

The Clay Figure Zhang Workshop established in 1958, is engaged in the research of painted sculpture. It has 46 staff members, 5 creation rooms and 3 shops. Many of its artworks have been awarded and are collected by domestic and abroad art galleries. In 2006, Clay Figure Zhang was listed as first grade national legacy of China.

External links

Clay Figure Zhang Studio
Chinese pottery Culture in Tianjin Qing dynasty {{art-stub