Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
China, Room 44, The T.T. Tsui Gallery

Teapot

1800-1825 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This teapot was made in Yixing, a town in southeast China famous for their teapots since the 16th century. The local clays have a high sand content and the teapots are usually unglazed. Unlike the majority of Chinese craftsmen Yixing potters often signed their works. This example has the stamp of Yang Pengnian, a famous potter active during the first quarter of the 19th century. The teapot is modelled like an ancient brick.


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Teapot
  • Lid
Materials and techniques
Stoneware, hand built, moulded
Brief description
Teapot in the shape of a brick, by Yang Pengnian, Yixing ware, China, 1800-25
Physical description
Teapot, flat rectangular shape imitating the form of an ancient brick, made of brown unglazed stoneware with rough sandy texture, hand built and moulded. Inscribed on top and side, seal marks inside cover, under handle and on base.
Dimensions
  • Length: 15.5cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • 彭年 (Seal mark under handle)
    Transliteration
    Pengnian
  • 晉泰和五年 (In relief on side. This refers to the year AD 370.)
    Translation
    Fifth year of the Taihe reign of the Jin dynasty
    Transliteration
    Jin Taihe wu nian
  • 宜園 (Seal mark inside lid. This mark is associated with Qiao Chongxi 喬重禧 (act. mid to late 19th century))
    Transliteration
    Yiyuan
  • 晉泰和甎 茝卿品定 (Carved on to cover in regular script)
    Translation
    Brick of the Taihe reign of the Jin dynasty Assessed by Chaiqing
    Transliteration
    Jin Taihe zhuan Chaiqing pinding
  • 茝卿審定 (Seal mark on base. Identity of Chaiqing has not been identitied. Possible style name of Qiao Chongxi? A poem dedicated to 'Elder brother Chaiqing' 茝卿大兄 can be found in Chen Li luanji 陳澧聯集 written by Chen Li (1810-1882).)
    Translation
    Assessed by Chaiqing
    Transliteration
    Chaiqing shending
Gallery label
Teapot in form of a brick Made by Yang Pengnian 1800-1825 Unglazed brown stoneware Yixing kilns, south China Bequeathed by Mrs W. Sedgwick through The Art Fund Museum no. C.47-1968(2007)
Credit line
Bequeathed by Mrs Walter Sedgwick through The Art Fund
Object history
Purchased from Sparks in 1939. Bequeathed by Mrs W. Sedgwick in 1968.
Summary
This teapot was made in Yixing, a town in southeast China famous for their teapots since the 16th century. The local clays have a high sand content and the teapots are usually unglazed. Unlike the majority of Chinese craftsmen Yixing potters often signed their works. This example has the stamp of Yang Pengnian, a famous potter active during the first quarter of the 19th century. The teapot is modelled like an ancient brick.
Bibliographic reference
Rose Kerr, 'Yixing Wares in the V&A', Orientations Oct 1983. Teresa Tse Bartholomew, 'Yixing Pottery', Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1981, no. 58. Teresa Tse Bartholomew, 'I-Hsing Ware', China Institute in America, 1977, pl. 18. Geoffrey Hedley, 'Yi-hsing Ware' in Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society 1936-37, plate 34b and p. 74. Incorrectly stated that the piece bears a Qianlong seal. Chinese Medical Relief Exhibition, Cat. No. 369.
Collection
Accession number
C.47&A-1968

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Record createdAugust 23, 2005
Record URL
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