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Benjarong
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Benjarong @ AsianDecorate.Com

This is a special type of glazed pottery with colour overlay. The Thai term benjarong-is a compound word meaning five colours so the usual number of colours employed is, as suggested in the name, five which comprises red, white, yellow, black and green. However, there are some examples in this group with only three colours and others with as many as eight.
According to history, the prototype for this glazed pottery came originally from China. An order was placed for sets of dishes for the court of one of the great Ayudhya kings with special instructions that the decorative design must be Thai. This was the beginning. Then, King Rama I of the Chakri Dynasty sent a group of Thai artisans to China to learn the art for home production. This glazed pottery has since become more and more popular. A later development was to add gold embellishment which resulted in a new design with the descriptive name -lai namthong (lai=design, namthong= gold liquid). This is time consuming work which requires extra skill and mastery on the part of the craftsman. These products are thus more exclusive than the tradi­tional type and are often given as gifts to important people and foreign guests. Benjarong pottery is made mainly in Bangkok, Samut Sakhon and Lampang Province.

Benjarong pattern

Phum Khao Bin

This pattern dates back to the reign of King Rama V, King Chulalongkorn 1868-1910. This is the trellis pattern, made up of the rice motif, a symbol of the Thai people, in angular gold lines. To draw this pattern requires a very skillful artist with excellent eye sight and a steady hand. The Phum Kao Bin pattern is the original Benjarong design.

Karm Yang

This pattern is based on the Phum Khao Bin design, but draws upon additional designs with an Indian influence.

Pikul

This pattern originated during the reign of King Rama II (1809-1824). Pikul is a flower symbolising the Buddhist lent. The trees that produce this fragrant flower are often planted in temple grounds. This trellised pattern, with geometric shapes can often be seen decorating the walls and ceilings of Thai temples, including the grand palace and many other historical buildings. This period could be considered the birth of "Benjarong", the Thai form of "5 colour" style of porcelain over glaze. The Chinese Ming Dynasty "5 colour" style had a free form painting style of flowers, butterfly, and birds, while the Thai form developed into its tighter geometric designs.

Chakri

This original daisy floral design dates back to China. The Thai adaptation with stronger colors became popular during the reign of King Rama V and received royal permission to be used with the Chakri dynasty name. The rounded petals in white surround the round pollen area in red. The flowers appear to float, surrounded by the background and leaves. The leaves are given a delicacy of appearing to be in motion, blown by the wind.

Kradang-Nga

The Kradang-Nga pattern uses the Llang-llang flower in a swirling pattern of vines and leaves. The Llang-llang is a very fragrant flower that is used in essential oil treatments. This design is done using what is known as a negative painting technique, as the white foreground is actually unpainted. The background is the deep blue and the background-foreground play back and forth.

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