<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg)

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Why is Chinese art in a case with Medieval Cloisonné?

It's surprising at first, right? We're most used to seeing things separated by geography. However, cloisonné is a cross-cultural technique! It was first developed in the Mediterranean basin around 1500 B.C.E. It became highly developed in the Byzantine Empire in the tenth and eleventh centuries and appears to have been transmitted to China via the maritime and overland Silk Routes. It starts showing up in China by the early fifteenth century.

Don't miss the small set of objects showing the different stages of cloisonne --- that really helped me to understand how it is made.

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I’m surprised that although these 2 pieces were made decades apart that they have such similar colors/blue in them. Can you tell us more about that?

Yes, that is a terrific observation!

The enamel tradition, including the color palette, was formalized in Ming China. The later Qing dynasty wanted to legitimize their rule and intentionally produced objects that resembled Ming products.

The round garden seat is Ming and the tall square vase is Qing.

So interesting! Thank you.

Vase

Asian Art

The four sides of this vase depict the Hundred Antiquities, objects that signified the learned and comfortable life of the Confucian scholar-official. These included ancient bronze ritual vessels, books, painting scrolls, a qin (a Chinese zither with seven strings) in a brocade bag, incense sets, a sword, and a fan in the shape of a banana leaf, among others. On the base is the mark of the Jingtai emperor (ruled 1450–57), famous for promoting the blue color of cloisonné, but the piece was made roughly 150 years after his reign.

MEDIUM Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy

Place Made: China

DATES late 18th century

DYNASTY Qing Dynasty

PERIOD Qianlong Period

DIMENSIONS 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Asian Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 09.512

CREDIT LINE Gift of Samuel P. Avery

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION The shape of this vase was popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties and possibly modeled after European bottle of the period. The cracked ice background decoration draws its inspiration from a ceramic technique initiated during the Kangxi era. The four sides of the vase depict plants, rocks, vases, bronze vessels, books, scrolls, a "qin," a sword and a fan in the shape of a banana leaf -- objects which signify the comfortable everyday life of the urban scholar-official. This type of composition, with objects floating freely, is also seen in eighteenth century ceramics, lacquerware and furniture decoration. It was an icon of eighteenth century China and may well be a reflection of the prevailing materialistic urban culture. The use of cloisonné for scholarly objects at this time also indicates a change of attitude brought about by the imperial patronage. Soon after its introduction to China, cloisonné was criticized by an early Ming Confucian scholar. Cao Zhao opposed the rich decoration of cloisonné, which presented a striking contrast to the monochrome ink paintings favored by the literati from the Yuan time onwards. Undoubtedly, the cloisonné was very popular with the ladies of the imperial court, and their patronage and taste may have influenced production. In deep cobalt blue, red, yellow, dark green, light green, brown, and white on a very deep turquoise background.

EXHIBITIONS

Infinite Blue

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg)

IMAGE profile, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2009

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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