Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 125, Grove Room

Vase

second half 16th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
This vase is made of fine porcelain painted in underglaze blue with a design of flowers and foliage. The style of decoration was associated with the East and would have appealed to a Victorian audience in search of the exotic. Commonly known as 'Chinese blue and white', vases like this were used to decorate the interiors of many British homes in the 19th century.

Place
The Grove, Harborne, near Birmingham, was commissioned by William Kenrick (1831-1919). An inventory drawn up in 1911 shows that the anteroom was decorated with a large collection of ceramics including Wedgwood, Spode, Worcester, art pottery and Chinese blue and white. This vase does not come from The Grove as such, but is of a type that would have been included in Kenrick's collection.

Time
Chinese blue and white had been imported into Britain since the 16th century. Although by the 1870s they were no longer rarity items, they continued to feature prominently in interior design. Rooms were filled with blue and white porcelain of different shapes and sizes to create a sumptuous effect. Older pieces were displayed alongside newer products.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain, painted in underglaze cobalt blue
Brief description
Scent bottle
Dimensions
  • Height: 20cm
  • Width: 10cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 18/05/2000 by LH
Object history
Purchased from Robert Murdoch Smith, accessioned in 1876. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
IRAN
Production
CHINESE
Subjects depicted
Summary
Object Type
This vase is made of fine porcelain painted in underglaze blue with a design of flowers and foliage. The style of decoration was associated with the East and would have appealed to a Victorian audience in search of the exotic. Commonly known as 'Chinese blue and white', vases like this were used to decorate the interiors of many British homes in the 19th century.

Place
The Grove, Harborne, near Birmingham, was commissioned by William Kenrick (1831-1919). An inventory drawn up in 1911 shows that the anteroom was decorated with a large collection of ceramics including Wedgwood, Spode, Worcester, art pottery and Chinese blue and white. This vase does not come from The Grove as such, but is of a type that would have been included in Kenrick's collection.

Time
Chinese blue and white had been imported into Britain since the 16th century. Although by the 1870s they were no longer rarity items, they continued to feature prominently in interior design. Rooms were filled with blue and white porcelain of different shapes and sizes to create a sumptuous effect. Older pieces were displayed alongside newer products.
Collection
Accession number
1586-1876

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Record createdMarch 7, 2000
Record URL
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