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Vase

1860-1880 (made)
Place of origin

This decorative cloisonné vase is one of a pair (Museum no.1273A-1886). The eggshell blue enamel ground is decorated with copper wires within which coloured enamels have been inlaid. The naturalistic decoration depicts the Japanese crane among bamboo, together with summer flowers such as peonies and convolvulus. By the 1880s, these types of motifs, so evocative in the Western mind of Japan, were combined with earlier styles of geometric patterns. The abstract border motifs are inspired by earlier Chinese styles and the rim and foot-ring of the vase have been gilded. Before the early 1800s Japanese enamelling on metal had been restricted to small decorative pieces. By about 1860 larger-scale wares were being produced with designs based on Chinese prototypes. These were increasingly decorated with naturalistic scenes including animals, insects and plants. Objects such as this vase were exported to the West, where they in turn influenced manufacturers such as Elkingtons. This vase was part of an enormous group of objects (although only a few of them were Japanese) bequeathed to the V&A in 1885 by Joshua Dixon, a successful cotton merchant. Born in Dalston, north-east London, Dixon died on his estate of Winslade Park in Somerset and left his collection initially to the Bethnal Green Museum, which is part of the V&A, for the 'benefit of the people of East London.'


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Cloisonné enamels on copper, with gilded copper rims
Brief description
Cloisonné vase, enamels on copper with gilded rims, Japan, 1870 - 1880
Physical description
Cloisonné enamel vase with decoration of birds and flowers.
Dimensions
  • Height: 26.8cm
  • Base width: 11.2cm
  • Maximum diameter: 16.9cm
Dimensions checked: Measured; 21/01/1999 by sf
Style
Credit line
Bequeathed by Joshua Dixon
Object history
Bequeathed by Joshua Dixon, accessioned in 1886. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
Made in Japan
Subjects depicted
Summary
This decorative cloisonné vase is one of a pair (Museum no.1273A-1886). The eggshell blue enamel ground is decorated with copper wires within which coloured enamels have been inlaid. The naturalistic decoration depicts the Japanese crane among bamboo, together with summer flowers such as peonies and convolvulus. By the 1880s, these types of motifs, so evocative in the Western mind of Japan, were combined with earlier styles of geometric patterns. The abstract border motifs are inspired by earlier Chinese styles and the rim and foot-ring of the vase have been gilded. Before the early 1800s Japanese enamelling on metal had been restricted to small decorative pieces. By about 1860 larger-scale wares were being produced with designs based on Chinese prototypes. These were increasingly decorated with naturalistic scenes including animals, insects and plants. Objects such as this vase were exported to the West, where they in turn influenced manufacturers such as Elkingtons. This vase was part of an enormous group of objects (although only a few of them were Japanese) bequeathed to the V&A in 1885 by Joshua Dixon, a successful cotton merchant. Born in Dalston, north-east London, Dixon died on his estate of Winslade Park in Somerset and left his collection initially to the Bethnal Green Museum, which is part of the V&A, for the 'benefit of the people of East London.'
Collection
Accession number
1273-1886

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Record createdMarch 27, 2003
Record URL
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