Part of the Chine Court
Watercolour
1851 (made)
1851 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Great Exhibition of 1851 took place at Hyde Park in a revolutionary glass and iron building known as the 'Crystal Palace'. It included over 13,000 exhibits and was the first international exhibition of manufactured products.
The exhibition attracted more than six million visitors, equivalent to a third of the population of Great Britain. This watercolour is from a group of images reproduced as colour lithographs in Recollections of the Great Exhibition, a lavish contemporary souvenir guide. The profits from the Great Exhibition were used to fund several science and art initiatives in South Kensington. They included what is now the Victoria and Albert Museum, whose earliest surviving building was erected in 1857.
This watercolour shows a view of the China Court. China did not respond to the invitation to submit work to the exhibition. As a result, the China Court comprised samples from the stock of a number of importers of Chinese goods. The principal of these was Hewett & Co. of Fenchurch Street.
The exhibition attracted more than six million visitors, equivalent to a third of the population of Great Britain. This watercolour is from a group of images reproduced as colour lithographs in Recollections of the Great Exhibition, a lavish contemporary souvenir guide. The profits from the Great Exhibition were used to fund several science and art initiatives in South Kensington. They included what is now the Victoria and Albert Museum, whose earliest surviving building was erected in 1857.
This watercolour shows a view of the China Court. China did not respond to the invitation to submit work to the exhibition. As a result, the China Court comprised samples from the stock of a number of importers of Chinese goods. The principal of these was Hewett & Co. of Fenchurch Street.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Part of the Chine Court |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolour and gouache over pencil on paper |
| Brief description | Interior view of the Great Exhibition - 'Part of the China Court', by John Absolon, 1851 |
| Physical description | Watercolour drawing |
| Dimensions |
|
| Credit line | Purchased with Art Fund support and assistance from the Friends of the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 |
| Subject depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | The Great Exhibition of 1851 took place at Hyde Park in a revolutionary glass and iron building known as the 'Crystal Palace'. It included over 13,000 exhibits and was the first international exhibition of manufactured products. The exhibition attracted more than six million visitors, equivalent to a third of the population of Great Britain. This watercolour is from a group of images reproduced as colour lithographs in Recollections of the Great Exhibition, a lavish contemporary souvenir guide. The profits from the Great Exhibition were used to fund several science and art initiatives in South Kensington. They included what is now the Victoria and Albert Museum, whose earliest surviving building was erected in 1857. This watercolour shows a view of the China Court. China did not respond to the invitation to submit work to the exhibition. As a result, the China Court comprised samples from the stock of a number of importers of Chinese goods. The principal of these was Hewett & Co. of Fenchurch Street. |
| Associated object | 19538:15 (Reproduction) |
| Bibliographic reference | Julius Bryant, ed. Art and Design for All. The Victoria and Albert Museum London: V&A Publishing, 2011. ISBN: 9781851776665. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.9-2007 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | April 14, 2007 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
