Bowl and Cover
1800-1895 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The name Bencharong derives from the Sanskrit "panch rang" or "five colours", relating to the typical number of colours combined on a single piece. Bencharong was made using a piece of white unglazed porcelain produced in the kilns of Jingdezhen. This was then transported to Guangzhou, where it was painted with enamel colours using Thai designs, before export to Thailand.
Object details
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Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Porcelain, painted in enamel colours and decorated with gilding, mounted with copper |
Brief description | Bowl and cover, porcelain, painted in enamel colours and decorated with gilding, made in Jingdezhen, decorated in Guangzhou, China, made for the Thai (Siamese) market, 1800-1895 |
Physical description | Bowl and cover of porcelain, an example of Bencharong ware, made in Jingdezhen, China for the Thai royal family. Painted in enamel colours and decorated with gilding with figures of the Buddhist divinities Tephanon and Norasing. The edges are mounted with copper rims. The figures of Tephanon are arranged in three shaped panels flanked by figures of Norasing and enclosed by sprays of flowers and foliage in red, blue, green, pink and yellow on a black ground. The cover is provided with a foot-ring to serve as a dish when inverted, within which is a spray of flowers with two gourds. |
Dimensions |
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Gallery label |
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Credit line | Bought (Cardu Collection) |
Object history | Born in Italy, Stefano Cardu travelled to Siam in the 1870s, where he worked as a draftsman for the Siamese government. Later he established his own architectural practice, named S. Cardu & Co. Building Contractors. He was interested in the culture and history of the region and in the almost thirty years he spent in Bangkok, he formed a crucial collection of oriental art containing objects including objects from India (such as bronzes), China and Japan. On his return to Europe, he deposited his collection with museums like the British Museum and the V&A. He also donated his collection as a gift to the city of Cagliari in Sardinia, where it formed the core of the Stefano Cardu Museum of Siamese Art and is regarded as the most important collection of Siamese art outside Thailand. Museum Nos. 355-1908 to 364-1908 and 376-1908 to 422-1908 were previously on loan to the Museum from April 1895 to July 1908. [RF 50/1908] Bought (Cardu Collection). This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project. |
Summary | The name Bencharong derives from the Sanskrit "panch rang" or "five colours", relating to the typical number of colours combined on a single piece. Bencharong was made using a piece of white unglazed porcelain produced in the kilns of Jingdezhen. This was then transported to Guangzhou, where it was painted with enamel colours using Thai designs, before export to Thailand. |
Collection | |
Accession number | 361&A-1908 |
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Record created | February 14, 2008 |
Record URL |
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