Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 137, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Teapot and Lid

ca. 1730-1750 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This teapot was made in the kilns of Jingdezhen in southern China at a time when large quantities of mass-produced porcelain were shipped to the European markets by state companies and private merchants.

In about 1730, the potters in Jingdezhen already mastered the use of pink enamel, which had been introduced in the colour palette for decorating porcelain, glass and metals a decade earlier. Due to the predominance of pink, this kind of porcelain was called famille rose by European collectors of the mid 1800s. In this example, the exagonal body is enriched with openwork panels and floral decorations in relief.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Teapot
  • Lid
Materials and techniques
Porcelain decorated in overglaze polychrome enamels and openwork
Brief description
Porcelain teapot with lid, decorated in overglaze enamels of famille rose type and with openwork panels, China, Qing dynasty, ca. 1730-1750
Physical description
Porcelain teapot and cover, hexagonal in shape and with openwork panels, painted in overglaze polychrome enamels of the famille rose type; each panel is decorated with a prunus tree on a ground of honeycomb pattern, and enclosed in a floral band. The shoulder and handles are painted with floral sprays, the neck with a band of ruyi, and the cover is in openwork with branches of peach tree.
Dimensions
  • Height: 12cm
Styles
Gallery label
Teapot Porcelain with decoration in overglaze enamels Relief openwork panels and painted flowers About 1730-1750 Cope Bequest(1987)
Credit line
Cope Bequest
Object history
Bequeathed by Mr. W. H. Cope, accessioned in 1903. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This teapot was made in the kilns of Jingdezhen in southern China at a time when large quantities of mass-produced porcelain were shipped to the European markets by state companies and private merchants.

In about 1730, the potters in Jingdezhen already mastered the use of pink enamel, which had been introduced in the colour palette for decorating porcelain, glass and metals a decade earlier. Due to the predominance of pink, this kind of porcelain was called famille rose by European collectors of the mid 1800s. In this example, the exagonal body is enriched with openwork panels and floral decorations in relief.
Bibliographic reference
Clunas, Craig (ed.). Chinese Export Art and Design. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1987, p. 48, fig. 28.
Collection
Accession number
610&A-1903

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Record createdOctober 2, 2008
Record URL
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