Tureen
ca. 1770 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This porcelain tureen was made at the kilns of Jingdezhen in southern China in about 1770. At this time, blue and white porcelain still represented a substantial part of the export ware to Europe, and mass-produced tableware and household objects were shipped in bulk by state and private companies.
This tureen was part of a dinner service made for the European market; the shape imitates a western model, while the decoration was supposed to be a traditional Chinese design. In fact, the river landscape depicted on the cover is a stylised and much adapted version of a traditional landscape theme, a subject that was re-invented and integrated into the repertoire of western chinoiserie and often imitated again on Chinese porcelain made for export. The design was perceived by European clients as purely 'oriental' and 'exotic', although it was very distant from the domestic taste in China.
This tureen was part of a dinner service made for the European market; the shape imitates a western model, while the decoration was supposed to be a traditional Chinese design. In fact, the river landscape depicted on the cover is a stylised and much adapted version of a traditional landscape theme, a subject that was re-invented and integrated into the repertoire of western chinoiserie and often imitated again on Chinese porcelain made for export. The design was perceived by European clients as purely 'oriental' and 'exotic', although it was very distant from the domestic taste in China.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Porcelain decorated in underglaze blue |
| Brief description | Porcelain tureen with cover decorated in underglaze blue with a river landscape and floral scrolls, China, Qing dynasty, ca. 1770 |
| Physical description | Porcelain tureen and cover, of rectangular shape with angled corners, straight spreading sides, splayed high foot, with lion-shaped knob and tiger masks grips on the two short sides, decorated in underglaze blue; the lid is painted with a river landscape featuring pagodas, small boats, bridges and figures framed by a spiky border, the sides are decorated with a large ornamental frieze of floral scrolls, and the foot with a spiky border. |
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| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Miss Lettice Digby Bequest |
| Summary | This porcelain tureen was made at the kilns of Jingdezhen in southern China in about 1770. At this time, blue and white porcelain still represented a substantial part of the export ware to Europe, and mass-produced tableware and household objects were shipped in bulk by state and private companies. This tureen was part of a dinner service made for the European market; the shape imitates a western model, while the decoration was supposed to be a traditional Chinese design. In fact, the river landscape depicted on the cover is a stylised and much adapted version of a traditional landscape theme, a subject that was re-invented and integrated into the repertoire of western chinoiserie and often imitated again on Chinese porcelain made for export. The design was perceived by European clients as purely 'oriental' and 'exotic', although it was very distant from the domestic taste in China. |
| Bibliographic reference | Clunas, Craig (ed.). Chinese Export Art and Design. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1987, p. 47, fig. 26. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.36-1973 |
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| Record created | November 12, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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