Oil painted panel with Chinoiserie decoration, [one of a set of 11] showing a fantastic scene of a seated chieftain with a blue banner and a shield of arms, of Skelton of Cumberland, by Robert Robinson, about 1696.

Decorative Chinoiserie panel. Oil painted panel with Chinoiserie decoration, showing a fantastic scene of a seated chieftain in a feather headdress, with a shield with a device of fleurs de lys, holding a blue banner with a device of a bird holding a branch, in a landscape of stylised poplar[?] trees.

Presented by Art Fund

According to Croft-Murray [q.v.] this panel contains the arms of Skelton of Cumberland. This indicates that the set of panels may have been commissioned by that family, perhaps on the occasion of a marriage with a member of the family of Nourse of Woodeaton, whose arms are on a similar panel in the set. [P.16-1954]. The arms of Skelton are: Arms Azure, on a fess between three fleur-de-lis or, a Cornish chough sable beaked and legged gules. Crest: a bird's head erased sable, holding in its beak an acorn or, stalked and leaved vert. Research has not so far identified a marriage date or the location of the house.

It is not known which house this set of panels was originally intended for, but they relate closely to a set of similar panels, which were painted in 1696 for a house at 5 Botolph Lane, in the City of London and removed to Sir John Cass's Foundation Primary School, Aldgate, London, in 1906. Very little is known about the painter Robert Robinson and not much of his work survives, apart from these two sets of panels. Robinson's work anticipates the mania for Chinoiserie in England by 30 years or more. The Botolph Lane panels are a mixture of Chinese and Peruvian scenes, whereas the set now in the Museum is mainly Chinese in inspiration. Throughout the 17th century goods from the Far East were highly fashionable. However, these painted panels are one of the earliest manifestations of chinoiserie, i.e. purely decorative fantasies by European artists, based roughly upon Far Eastern themes, as opposed to imitation of true Chinese forms such as lacquer work. In the V&A panels all kinds of whimsical grotesques are mingled with reminiscences of Chinese, Tartar, and Indian themes.

Object Type
This is one of a set of 11 Chinoiserie panels (Museum nos. P.6 to 16-1954) that was acquired by the Museum in 1954. It is not known which house they were originally intended for, but they relate closely to a set of similar panels painted in 1696 for a house in Botolph Lane, London.

People
Very little is known about the painter and printmaker Robert Robinson and not much of his work survives, apart from the two sets of panels. The panels' dramatic quality may be attributable to Robinson's work as a scene painter for the theatre.

Subjects Depicted
Throughout the 17th century goods from East Asia were highly fashionable. However, these painted panels are one of the earliest manifestations of Chinoiserie. The term denotes purely decorative fantasies produced by European artists and based roughly on East Asian themes, as opposed to imitation of true Chinese forms in such techniques as lacquer work. In these panels all manner of whimsical grotesques are mingled with reminiscences of Chinese, Tartar, and Indian themes.

P.15-1954