Qing Refined Cobalt

Qing blue-and-white continued to depend on cobalt, but sources and preparation methods differed from those of Yuan and early Ming production.

Refining, pigment preparation, brush technique and firing could produce clear blues ranging from pale washes to concentrated dark accents.

Scientific research also cautions against assuming a single Qing cobalt source: analysed early-Qing Jingdezhen material points to more complex regional sourcing than older historical narratives suggested.