Unfolding Pictures: The Emily Beauclerk Fan, 18th C.

Click image to enlarge.
Hand Fan
French or British, Eighteenth Century
Watercolor on paper leaf with ivory sticks and guards.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, a variety of hand fans were imported from the East into Europe. China exported a vast array of fans into England and Europe and, soon, the Chiense style became quite fashionable for hand fans. European artists strove to emulate these Chinese fans in order to keep local business going. This fan, made in the Eighteenth Century, probably comes from either Britain or France and is a clever take on the Chinese style which was growing in popularity at the time.

With expertly carved and pierced ivory sticks, the fan sports a paper leaf which has been hand-painted with a watercolor Chinoiserie landscape. However, instead of depicting the usual Chinese figures in Eastern dress, the men and women in the scene are show in fashionable European dress. Their faces, nevertheless, are meant to look Asian. One of the figures, a woman, is shown holding a paper fan with a floral pattern in pink which nearly replicates the flowers which have been painted on the reverse of the leaf. 

The fan was donated to the V&A by one Emily Beauclerk, its last owner.

To Serve and Project: The John Addis Jun Ware Bottle, 12th C.

Jun Ware Bottle, Song Dynasty, 12th C.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This celestite blue bottle is representative of a type of Chinese ceramics known as Jun ware. Overall, Chinese ceramics are typically categorized by the geographical area in which they were made since the kilns of a particular region usually only produced one or two types of ceramics at any given time in history. 

Jun ware was a product of the kilns of the Henan province, reaching its apex during the Song dynasty (960-1279). This pottery is identified visually by its coarse stoneware body and its shiny blue glaze. Another identifying characteristic is the presence of a red spot or spots on the vessels, a visual cue evident in this example. This is due to the copper-rich pigment on the ceramic body beneath the glaze.

While some types of Chinese ceramics were made exclusively for the imperial household, Jun ware, conversely, was produced for popular. By the Qing dynasty the status of these ceramics had elevated since the Qianlong emperor (reigned 1736-95) was an admirer of them and used them for decorating his home.

Unfolding Pictures: The Emily Beauclerk Fan, 18th C.

Click image to enlarge.
Hand Fan
French or British, Eighteenth Century
Watercolor on paper leaf with ivory sticks and guards.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, a variety of hand fans were imported from the East into Europe. China exported a vast array of fans into England and Europe and, soon, the Chiense style became quite fashionable for hand fans. European artists strove to emulate these Chinese fans in order to keep local business going. This fan, made in the Eighteenth Century, probably comes from either Britain or France and is a clever take on the Chinese style which was growing in popularity at the time.

With expertly carved and pierced ivory sticks, the fan sports a paper leaf which has been hand-painted with a watercolor Chinoiserie landscape. However, instead of depicting the usual Chinese figures in Eastern dress, the men and women in the scene are show in fashionable European dress. Their faces, nevertheless, are meant to look Asian. One of the figures, a woman, is shown holding a paper fan with a floral pattern in pink which nearly replicates the flowers which have been painted on the reverse of the leaf. 

The fan was donated to the V&A by one Emily Beauclerk, its last owner.

Unfolding Pictures: A Chinese Feather Fan, 1911-1930

Feather Fan
China, 1911-1930
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The Chinese have been producing fans from feathers for over 2000 years. These fans, with their dramatic tufts of colorful feathers, most often featured long handles made of bamboo or wood though specialty examples were made for high-ranking people with handles of ivory, jade or other carved hard-stone.

This example was actually made in modern times during a time when feathers were en vogue with contemporary fashions. Made between 1911 and 1930, this fan nods at Chinese antiquity with its brightly-colored fathers and gleaming handle made of carved hard-stone and glass adorned with a geometric pattern based on ancient Chinese bronzes (Ancient Chinese Bronzes, huh?). Two small red stones, possibly garnets, have been mounted on either side of the handle.

The fan was likely made in China for export to the U.K. where the Art Deco fashions dictated a renewed interest in the geometry of the Eastern arts. The color palette indicates that the fan would not have been intended for use by a Chinese woman, but rather a wealthy European lady whose tastes tended toward the trendy gold and brown colors which often dominated accessories of the era.

Donated by Lady Logan from the collection of her parents, Robert and Alexandra Everts, the fan is an excellent example of the kinds of Asian accessories which were in demand in the 1920s.

Figure of the Day: A Chinese Incense Burner, Eighteenth Century

 

Incense Burner
Chinese
Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period
1736-1795
The Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool



From the Chinese collection of the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Liverpool, England, comes this lovely porcelain incense burner. In the form of a rabbit atop a cloud, carrying a branch of fungus on its arched back, this vessel with its celadon glaze also features painted details in brown and sapphire blue.

The mouth and nostrils are ventilated, allowing for the smoke of the incense (which was burned inside of it) to escape and fill the air with fragrance. This object was created in the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795). 

Figure of the Day: The Pink Umbrella, c. 1773

Figure Group
Frankenthal, Germany
c. 1773
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made by the Frankenthal Porcelain Factory of Germany around 1773, this hard-paste porcelain figure group is the work of modeler Konrad Linck. 

The group, painted in enamel colors, depicts a Chinese man and woman. The man lies beside a tall vessel composed of overlapping palm leaves. His companion leans against this vase, shielding her face with a pink umbrella. The base shows Rococo influence with its relief mound of plants and cabbages.

Gifts of Grandeur: A Chinese Layer-Cut Glass Vase, c. 1736

Chinese Vase of Layer-Cut Glass, 1736
The Victoria & Albert Museum

“Layer cut glass” is a technique of glass-making where in one layer of glass, usually of a different color, is cast on top of another.  Next,  part of the top layer is cut away in a decorative pattern which reveals the layer beneath.

This example of brilliant red and turquoise glass comes from China and was made around 1736.  The design consists of a lobster, a lotus flower and other assorted shellfish. Layer cut glass has long been considered a specialty of Chinese glass makers who continue with the tradition to this day.

The Art of Play: A Chinese Shadow Puppet, late 19th C.

Shadow Puppet
China, Late Nineteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Shadow puppets are neat. But, then, I’m a puppet fancier, so I suppose I’d be inclined to think so. This one comes from China and dates to the late Nineteenth Century. It’s a tiger! He’s got very handsome tiger striped and a feline face—all hand painted.

This tiger is made up of eight individual pieces which are joined with twine at the head, neck, body, waist and tail. These moveable joints allow the puppet to be manipulated in realistic-looking way. Rods at the head and tail are used to move the joints. He’s composed of oil parchment and painted with watercolor.

Unfolding Pictures: The Emily Beauclerk Fan, 18th C.

Click image to enlarge.
Hand Fan
French or British, Eighteenth Century
Watercolor on paper leaf with ivory sticks and guards.
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, a variety of hand fans were imported from the East into Europe. China exported a vast array of fans into England and Europe and, soon, the Chiense style became quite fashionable for hand fans. European artists strove to emulate these Chinese fans in order to keep local business going. This fan, made in the Eighteenth Century, probably comes from either Britain or France and is a clever take on the Chinese style which was growing in popularity at the time.

With expertly carved and pierced ivory sticks, the fan sports a paper leaf which has been hand-painted with a watercolor Chinoiserie landscape. However, instead of depicting the usual Chinese figures in Eastern dress, the men and women in the scene are show in fashionable European dress. Their faces, nevertheless, are meant to look Asian. One of the figures, a woman, is shown holding a paper fan with a floral pattern in pink which nearly replicates the flowers which have been painted on the reverse of the leaf. 

The fan was donated to the V&A by one Emily Beauclerk, its last owner.

Painting of the Day: The Singkwa Towel Gourd, c. 1830

Click image to enlarge.
The Singkwa Towel Gourd
China, 1800-1830
The Victoria & Albert Museum  

This is a Singkwa towel gourd. I must confess that I don’t know what that is, but apparently, it’s a common garden flower in China. The British of the Nineteenth Century seemed to have a keen interest in exotic plants and animals. And, it wasn’t just botanists. Watercolors and prints of Asian flora and fauna were quite fashionable in home décor from the 1820s well into the Edwardian era and beyond. Furthermore, tourists reveled in bringing plants and fruits from foreign lands to put into their gardens in those lovely pre-customs days.

The work of an unknown artist from Guangzhou, China, this watercolor painting of the towel gourd dates to 1800 and 1830 and shows the growing British passion for exotic flora. While we can’t be sure, it’s a safe bet that this painting on Chinese rice paper was brought back from Asia by a wealthy tourist with an eye for beauty. 

Painting of the Day: A Chinese Puppet Show, c. 1790

Click on image to stand on a coffee table.
Souvenir Watercolor Painting
Guangzhou, China, c. 1790
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Painted in Guangzhou, China, around 1790, this painting is just one of a set of 100 which show various tradesmen from Canton engaged in their work. The set was made for export to the U.K. where, at the time, a growing interest in Asian culture was becoming prevalent.

This particular scene depicts a traveling puppeteer at work. Unlike the fit-ups to which we’re accustomed, here, the puppeteer himself becomes the fit-up. Look closely. You can see that the puppet theatre sits on the performer’s shoulders. He raises his arms above his head to work the puppets and a colorful cloth conceals his body—tied at the ankles.

Being no stranger to the mechanics of puppeteering, I confess that I don’t think I’d like to work this way. First of all, it’d be rather a bitch to get yourself set-up for a show, but, worse still, is how to get out of it afterwards. Furthermore, it doesn’t seem to be worth the effort. The only people in attendance are an old man and a child contortionist. And, who carries the coffee table?

Gifts of Grandeur: A Chinese Layer-Cut Glass Vase, c. 1736

Chinese Vase of Layer-Cut Glass, 1736
The Victoria & Albert Museum

“Layer cut glass” is a technique of glass-making where in one layer of glass, usually of a different color, is cast on top of another.  Next,  part of the top layer is cut away in a decorative pattern which reveals the layer beneath.

This example of brilliant red and turquoise glass comes from China and was made around 1736.  The design consists of a lobster, a lotus flower and other assorted shellfish. Layer cut glass has long been considered a specialty of Chinese glass makers who continue with the tradition to this day.

The Home Beautiful: Chinese Wallpaper, c. 1810-1830

Wallpaper
China, c. 1810-1830
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Alive with the colors of ripe fruits, flowers and birds, this wallpaper was made between 1810 and 1830 in Guangzhou, China. This was part of a set of exotic wallpapers which was designed for export to Europe to satisfy the growing demand at the time for Chinoiserie. Though this Asian-inspired style enjoyed new popularity in the early Nineteenth Century, the export of this kind of hand-painted wallpaper wasn’t new. The first painted papers exported to Europe from China arrived in the 1690s. Chinese craftsmen purposely included European ideals and fashions into their papers—combining their native styles with themes which they knew would appeal to European tastes and fashions. 

Sculpture of the Day: Two Chinese Figures, 1752-1754

Two Chinese Figures
French, 1752-1754
Acquired by King George IV while Prince Regent
The Royal Collection

This soft-paste porcelain figural group is considered one of the most ambitious sculptures ever attempted by the artists at Vincennes. Not only is the group large—standing at almost nineteen inches tall—but it’s extremely complicated and heavily detailed.


The scene depicts a young boy standing on a coral-strewn beach who approaches a regal young woman, reclining on a tasseled pillow. Minor imperfections can be seen in the sculpture, upon close inspection, showing the difficulty the artists faces in creating the complex central basket and the intricate folds and patterns of the figure’s costumes.

King George IV was drawn to chinoiserie and works with an Asian influence and purchased this piece while still Prince Regent. At some point in the Nineteenth century, the group was incorporated into an elaborate French clock case. At the time, the group was painted with gold details to match the clock case. While the clock is no longer in existence, the gold details remain, making the group appear to have even more depth. 

Sculpture of the Day: Two Chinese Figures, 1752-1754

Two Chinese Figures
French, 1752-1754
Acquired by King George IV while Prince Regent
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This soft-paste porcelain figural group is considered one of the most ambitious sculptures ever attempted by the artists at Vincennes. Not only is the group large—standing at almost nineteen inches tall—but it’s extremely complicated and heavily detailed.


The scene depicts a young boy standing on a coral-strewn beach who approaches a regal young woman, reclining on a tasseled pillow. Minor imperfections can be seen in the sculpture, upon close inspection, showing the difficulty the artists faces in creating the complex central basket and the intricate folds and patterns of the figure’s costumes.

King George IV was drawn to chinoiserie and works with an Asian influence and purchased this piece while still Prince Regent. At some point in the Nineteenth century, the group was incorporated into an elaborate French clock case. At the time, the group was painted with gold details to match the clock case. While the clock is no longer in existence, the gold details remain, making the group appear to have even more depth. 

The Art of Play: A Mechanical Toy Elephant, 1975

The Victoria & Albert Museum
Museum of Childhood

Here’s a toy that I could have played with—and would have. Made in 1975, this mechanical toy is lithographed tinplate upon a green plastic platform mounted on two black plastic wheels at the back and one tinplate wheel at the front. It depicts, naturally, an elephant riding a cycle while balancing a ball on its trunk—as they do.

When pulled along by the green plastic cord, the back wheels turn. These wheels are attached to cogs which turn the post for the ball while one of the cogs strikes a small paper-covered interior box, making the noise of the “motor.” As the ball is spinning, the attached tassels flare out.

The manufacturer of the toy is unknown and the piece is not marked. It was acquired in Peking in the mid-1970s and was probably made expressly for the Chinese market. This is part of a large collection of Chinese-made toys from this era which is housed in the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Museum of Childhood.

Unfolding Pictures: A Chinese Feather Fan, 1911-1930

Feather Fan
China, 1911-1930
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The Chinese have been producing fans from feathers for over 2000 years. These fans, with their dramatic tufts of colorful feathers, most often featured long handles made of bamboo or wood though specialty examples were made for high-ranking people with handles of ivory, jade or other carved hard-stone.

This example was actually made in modern times during a time when feathers were en vogue with contemporary fashions. Made between 1911 and 1930, this fan nods at Chinese antiquity with its brightly-colored fathers and gleaming handle made of carved hard-stone and glass adorned with a geometric pattern based on ancient Chinese bronzes (Ancient Chinese Bronzes, huh?). Two small red stones, possibly garnets, have been mounted on either side of the handle.

The fan was likely made in China for export to the U.K. where the Art Deco fashions dictated a renewed interest in the geometry of the Eastern arts. The color palette indicates that the fan would not have been intended for use by a Chinese woman, but rather a wealthy European lady whose tastes tended toward the trendy gold and brown colors which often dominated accessories of the era.

Donated by Lady Logan from the collection of her parents, Robert and Alexandra Everts, the fan is an excellent example of the kinds of Asian accessories which were in demand in the 1920s.

Sculpture of the Day: A Chinese Incense Burner, Eighteenth Century

 

Incense Burner
Chinese
Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period
1736-1795
The Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool



From the Chinese collection of the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Liverpool, England, comes this lovely porcelain incense burner. In the form of a rabbit atop a cloud, carrying a branch of fungus on its arched back, this vessel with its celadon glaze also features painted details in brown and sapphire blue.

The mouth and nostrils are ventilated, allowing for the smoke of the incense (which was burned inside of it) to escape and fill the air with fragrance. This object was created in the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795) and today seems just the perfect secular image for Easter. 

The Home Beautiful: A Pair of Sèvres Candelabra, 1765-1770

Candelabra of porcelain vases
1765-1770
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
This and all related images courtesy of
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Made between 1765 and 1770, these vases are crafted of soft-paste porcelain and painted a deep blue enamel ground. The work of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, they've had gilt bronze mounts added to make them function as candelabra and, also, to give the appearance that these were older pieces retrofitted for another use.

The pair was acquired by King George IV and they were recorded in the Royal Collection in 1826 as being in the Small Store Room under the Clock. They are described as "A pair of Blue seve Porcelain Jars and Covers mounted in Ormolu, scroll Branches for two lights, festooned, Octagonal Bases. 12 ½ Inches high."

With their ormolu fittings, the pair is a superb early example of the new trend toward Chinese style objects which defined mid-eighteenth century decorative arts. Sèvres and other makers would often try to pass off their wares as genuine Chinese artifacts.

The curator of the Royal Collection tells us:

So successful were the potters at Sèvres at producing such counterfeit pieces that, in 1829, the then Director of the manufactory, Alexandre Brongniart, bought a pair in the mistaken belief that he was acquiring Chinese vases!

Figures of the Day: A Set of Four Chinese Figures, 17th C.

Set of Four Figures
China, c. Seventeenth C.
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Made in South China, during or before the Seventeenth Century, this set of four figures is crafted of white porcelain, partly glazed in blue.

The set was purchased by John Crace for the Prince Regent in 1803. The figures were among a group purchased for the future King George IV which included “Six Blue China Figures-- £1.10.0.”

Similar groups of Chinese figures from the same period have surfaced in other museums. Overall, it is believed that these types of figurines were given to powerful men as a wish token meant to encourage the birth of a male heir.