Mr Wang Guo Bing, an expert in the authentication of ancient Chinese ceramic and porcelain was here at the Wisma Kebudayaan SGM on June 20, 2009 to hold an art talk on the authentication of blue and white Chinese porcelain based on the usage and application of cobalt.

Having a history of more than 2,000 years, Chinese Blue and white porcelain was already being produced during the Western Zhou Dynasty, generally by applying cobalt oxide, a blue pigment, on white pottery before being covered with glaze and then fired. The process is tedious and requires meticulous attention starting from the selection of material to the glazing and firing. In fact, the growth of this industry is like a brief introduction of the history of China.

In his lecture, Wang explained the characteristics, properties and usage of this transitional metal cobalt, a common but relatively unknown element in our everyday life. It has been used for centuries to give a rich blue colour to glass, glazes and ceramics and its radioactive isotope is an important tracer and cancer-treatment agent today. As an authentication expert, Wang was also knowledgeable in the various classifications of cobalt as the metal shows slight differences in colour and behaviour when applied on different clay or ceramic and baked with different temperature and length. Knowing the different shades of blue yielded at different times and dynasties and the influences and evolvement on the designs and patterns on the porcelain are also important factors in authenticating a work.