Pair of red “sang de boeuf” porcelain lamps, 1950s

Pair of red Langyao hong sang de boeuf (*oxblood) porcelain lamps, baluster shaped with chiselled and gilt bronze mount standing on a polygonal base topped by a beads frieze. Higher part of the mount decorated with acanthus leaves.
Body of the lamp with a bulged belly and a tightened neck with top slightly shaded to white.

Work realized in the 1950’s.

New and functional electric system.

Under the Chinese Qing dynasty (1644-1911), a multitude of ceramic varieties was developed including the red sang de boeuf (FR) i.e. “oxblood” red monochrome glazes.
The term “Langyao hong ” appeared in a Chinese manuscript from the beginning of the 18^th century that talked about Lang Tingji, governor of a China province, which had made researches on past dynasties porcelain, including glazes. He allowed the development of a new colour thanks to the copper oxide fired at more than 1200°C in a kiln with an oxygen reduction: the sang de boeuf oxblood red or “Langyao”, combining glow and depth.
During its manufacture, the porcelain can take two aspects: a solid red or a speckled red with darker spots under a cracked transparent glaze. All along centuries, this production was realized with more or less care, giving it different aspects as a darker colour on some parts of the item or a yellow cracks net.
Normally, the term “oxblood red” only concerned the red monochromes produced under the Kangxi era (1662-1722) but can be also employed to describe later objects as our pair of lamps.