Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 136, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Sprinkler

1700-1750 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

From about 1680 the kilns of Jingdezhen started producing enamelled wares in imitation of Japanese Imari-style porcelain. These wares were painted in underglaze blue, then further decorated with iron-red enamel and gilding, and sometimes with additional green and black.

Imari-style porcelain was cheaper than the Japanese equivalent, so large quantities were exported from China, immediately affecting the profitable trade between Japan and Europe. Several types were also exported to the Middle East, including water sprinklers, which were used to contain rose-scented water.

This sprinkler was acquired in Iran by Colonel R.J. Murdoch Smith (1835-1900), the Director of the Indo-European Telegraph Department, based in Tehran.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain painted in underglaze blue, iron-red enamel and gold
Brief description
Porcleain water sprinkler, painted in Imari style, Jingdezhen, China, 1700-1750
Physical description
Porcelain water sprinkler, one of a pair, with bulbous body and long neck, painted in underglaze blue, iron-red enamel and gold in Imary style with flower branches.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 9.2cm
  • Height: 20.3cm
Styles
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.
Bought in Iran, 11s for the pair
Subject depicted
Summary
From about 1680 the kilns of Jingdezhen started producing enamelled wares in imitation of Japanese Imari-style porcelain. These wares were painted in underglaze blue, then further decorated with iron-red enamel and gilding, and sometimes with additional green and black.

Imari-style porcelain was cheaper than the Japanese equivalent, so large quantities were exported from China, immediately affecting the profitable trade between Japan and Europe. Several types were also exported to the Middle East, including water sprinklers, which were used to contain rose-scented water.

This sprinkler was acquired in Iran by Colonel R.J. Murdoch Smith (1835-1900), the Director of the Indo-European Telegraph Department, based in Tehran.
Collection
Accession number
1643-1876

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Record createdMarch 7, 2000
Record URL
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