Not currently on display at the V&A

Box

1700-1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Painted enamels of this kind were commonly known in English as 'Canton enamel', after the main centre of their production in South China. They were popular export products in the 18th and 19th centuries. These copper wares were also produced in Beijing for imperial consumption. In Chinese they were referred to as 'foreign porcelain' (yangci 洋瓷).


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Box
  • Lid
  • Stand
Materials and techniques
Painted enamels on a copper body
Brief description
Box, lid and tray, painted polychrome enamels on a copper body, Guangzhou, China, 18th century
Physical description
Box, lid and tray, painted with floral and fruit sprays set in cartouches on a white ground. The cartouches are surrounded by scrolling motifs against blue and pint grounds.
Dimensions
  • Box height: 2.875in (Note: from acquisition register)
  • Box length: 4.5in (Note: from acquisition register)
  • Box width: 2.9375in (Note: from acquisition register)
  • Tray length: 6.75in (Note: from acquisition register)
  • Tray width: 5.125in (Note: from acquisition register)
Credit line
Purchased
Object history
Purchased from a source not recorded in the Asia Department registers, accessioned in 1893. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
Summary
Painted enamels of this kind were commonly known in English as 'Canton enamel', after the main centre of their production in South China. They were popular export products in the 18th and 19th centuries. These copper wares were also produced in Beijing for imperial consumption. In Chinese they were referred to as 'foreign porcelain' (yangci 洋瓷).
Collection
Accession number
512-1893

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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