Glazing and Gilding porcelain

Glazing

Glaze is a thin covering of glass fused to a ceramic body. Its main functions are to strengthen the body and, in the case of a porous clay, to make it impervious, but glaze also gives pottery a smooth surface beauty that is both pleasing to touch, and practical and hygienic to use. In most cases, crystals of glass are applied as a finely ground powder suspended in liquid, which evenly coats the pottery or porcelain vessel. In a kiln these crystals melt and fuse together to form a permanent and distinctive surface.

Gilding

Gilding is the process by which gold is used to decorate (mainly) porcelain. Gold is applied as gold-leaf o with a brush, pure or mixed with mercury or (originally) honey, and fired at a low temperature. Mercuric gilding gives a bright metallic gold, honey-gold a dull, rich effect.