Cultural exchanges between China and the West have a long history, dating back to the pre-Qin era in China. With the great geographical discovery and the opening of new shipping routes, a large number of Chinese porcelain, tea, silk and other commodities were imported into Europe. In this context, Europe was deeply influenced by Chinese culture and a Chinese style boom arose.
The "Chinese style" mentioned here refers to the understanding and imagination of Europeans of Chinese art and customs under the influence of traditional Chinese artistic styles, and is mixed with the aesthetic tastes of Western traditions. In this "Micro Works" exhibition, there are a number of exquisite works of art that are closely related to ancient China, including Chinese-style evening dresses, silver tea sets, imitation Chinese porcelain and pagoda-style multi-layered decorative plates, which will be interpreted in detail in this article.
Chinoiserie evening dress
The Chinoiserie evening dress consists of a tight low-neck sleeveless top and a black straight skirt with a total length of 156 cm from the shoulders to the hem. The dress was designed and produced by the Gilberts in 1948, and because of the post-war era, the designer changed the stereotypical and conservative wartime clothing in pursuit of showing the elegance of women's shoulders and slender waists. The hem of the jacket is designed with flared frills to highlight the curve of the human waist, outlining the slender figure of the woman. What is even more eye-catching is that the designer uses exquisite and gorgeous Chinese brocade in the choice of clothing, and decorates traditional Chinese patterns with oriental charm. Therefore, this exhibit integrates traditional Chinese elements with Western modern clothing, forming a unique style after the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures.
▲Chinoiserie evening dress
▲ Chinese elements on evening dresses
Silver tea set
After the 17th century, Chinese tea, as the core commodity of Sino-Western trade, began to be exported to Europe in large quantities, of which Britain was one of the largest consuming countries. According to statistics, before 1840, Britain's foreign trade revenue alone accounted for 90% of tea, which was the main source of tax revenue for the British treasury. With the spread of tea drinking customs, the demand for tea sets by Europeans has also increased, and silver tea sets with unique European characteristics have been created. The silver teapots used for tea drinking and the carved silver tea set box in the exhibits epitomize the influence of Chinese tea on Western society.
01
Silver teapot
This silver teapot was made in England in 1730-1731 and was created by Paulo de La Merry, a famous Huguenot craftsman in London. The exhibit is 31.5 cm high and 22.7 cm wide and is divided into three parts: a kettle, a bracket and a burner. The kettle is spherical in shape with a curved spout, the body is decorated with 6 reliefs of fish scales, the time of manufacture and the name of the craftsman are engraved on the bottom of the kettle, and the handle is woven with insulated wicker. The lower burner is connected to the bracket, and the burner is located in the center of the bracket, similar to the shape of the kettle, and the alcohol lamp is lit to maintain the temperature of the water in the pot when used. The lower part is supported by a three-legged triped with tangled branches and leaves, and a small dolphin is stepped on each of its three legs, inspired by 17th-century Dutch silverware that imitated nature.
▲ Silver teapot
Silver teapots were commonly used in tea drinking in Europe at that time, and several similar silver teapots are in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in the United Kingdom. Its function is mainly used to heat the water of tea, and it can be seen in many paintings that teapots are often placed on shelves or tea tables adjacent to tea tables so that users can pour water to make tea.
▲Silver teapot in the artwork ☆
02
Tea set box
This silver tea set box was made around 1747-1748 by the famous British silversmith Peter Archanbo. The exhibit consists of three tea boxes, all of which are largely identical in shape, height, and ornamentation, but one of which is wider than the other two. The tea set box is decorated with European Rococo patterns on all sides and on the top, and a feathered bird badge is carved in the center of the front of each exhibit, and the bottom of the box is engraved with the time of production and the name of the craftsman. Even more surprising is that to echo the silver box use, the lid handle is designed in the shape of a tea leaf petal.
▲Tea set box
Tea boxes were so popular in European aristocratic life that after the 18th century, they were often divided into three types: storing black tea, green tea, and mixed tea or sugar. Since tea is so precious, many families are made by hostesses, and servants are responsible for boiling water. And in order to prevent servants from stealing tea leaves, tea boxes are usually equipped with delicate small locks, and King Louis XV of France also called for the tea boxes to be placed in a private room. But with the popularity of tea and the advent of tea bags, tea boxes are no longer a necessity of European life, but more of a work of art for appreciation and collection.
▲Tea boxing export scene map☆
Imitation of Chinese porcelain
As mentioned above, Chinese tea was exported to Europe, forming a tea drinking fashion among the aristocracy. At the same time, China also produces ceramic tea sets specifically for Western living habits, which are deeply loved by Westerners. In the 16th century, porcelain became the object of pursuit in European countries, and promoted European producers to imitate Chinese porcelain, the tin glazed pottery single ear cup in this exhibition and the Japanese Imari porcelain shockproof chocolate cup and tray have the shadow of Chinese porcelain, reproducing the influence of Chinese porcelain on the world.
Single ear cups
This one-ear cup consisting of tin and silver outer walls has undergone several modifications from 1600 to 1658, and the tin and pottery cup body was produced in 1600, followed by the addition of silver outer walls and handles, and the addition of a base in 1658. The single ear cup is 15.8 cm high, 15 cm wide, weighs 560 g, and the glaze color of the cup is mottled blue and white. In addition, its silver outer wall is also quite distinctive, for ease of use, the cup body added S-shaped handle and thumb switch; the lid is engraved with the coat of arms of the Rutum Miller family in Kent, and a Latin inscription is inlaid on the outer wall of the upper part of the monoauric cup, recording the collection of the exhibit by different members of the family in 1618, 1621 and 1658, and the inscription also mentions the single ear cup as a fragile artifact, which is also confirmed by the restoration marks on its surface.
▲Single ear cup
This piece of one-ear cup is tin pottery, that is, tin straw with protective effect is applied to the surface of the pottery. This kind of tin pottery produced in England is also known as "Moling ware", so named because the earliest surviving artifact was excavated in West Moring, Kent. From the 16th to the 17th century, Chinese porcelain swept Europe at a high price and was known as "white gold", which aroused the enthusiasm of Western European countries to imitate production. Tin pottery is the early representative of European imitation of Chinese porcelain, because its tire quality is still pottery, firing temperature is low, not the real sense of porcelain, but in the history of European porcelain has been a huge progress.
Shock-proof chocolate cups and trays
This exhibit was made around 1720 and is 11.9 cm high and 14.1 cm in diameter. It is a Japanese Imari porcelain that is deeply influenced by Chinese Jingdezhen porcelain, and the overall decoration of the exhibits is blue and white alum red color flower pattern, with rich colors and full composition. In addition, this porcelain has also been processed and beautified by Parisian craftsmen, and is more European-style. The lid is inlaid with silver carved handles and a carved silver bracket added to the tray to secure the cup to the tray to prevent liquid spillage.
▲Shockproof chocolate cup and tray
Multi-layered silver disc
From the 17th to the 18th century, Chinese style prevailed in Europe, and in addition to silk, tea and porcelain, Chinese architecture and garden art were also recognized by the West as an important part of Chinese culture. The "Chinese Pagoda" style multi-layered silver ornament plate in the exhibit combines oriental architectural forms with Rococo decorative styles, blending east and west, and is full of fun.
The multi-layered discs in the exhibits were made in 1763-1764 and are typical of the English style. It is composed of 27 parts, the uppermost of which is a pagoda-shaped spire with carved vines, decorated with silver pineapples; the center of the disc is placed with an oval hollow flower basket, surrounded by four slightly smaller flower baskets, which can be used to hold delicate fruits and sweets, and four curly branches in the middle connect the upper and lower layers; the lower layer consists of a carved silver skeleton base and rose branches of four legs, and extends four branches, each topped by a small silver tray, which is sometimes used as a candlestick. The abbreviation of the name of the creator Thomas Pitts appears in many places on the exhibit, and this multi-layered disc is a testament to his design style of blending Rococo tangle floral patterns with exoticism.
▲Multi-layered decorative plate
▲Chinese pagoda in London Hill Garden, UK☆
▲ Chinese pagoda in Munich's British Park ☆
▲ French Rococo art representative painter François Boucher's "Chinese Garden"☆
epilogue
China has been an open and inclusive country from ancient times to the present, and chinese civilization has continuously exchanged with foreign cultural exchanges in the course of its five-thousand-year historical development. Silk, tea and porcelain, as the three major export commodities of ancient China, not only brought huge economic benefits, but also pushed Chinese civilization to the world, and set off a "Chinese style" boom in the West. The 6 sets of exhibits with "Chinese style" elements in this "Micro Works" exhibition reflect the epitome of ancient China's trade and cultural exchanges through the overland Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road, and vividly express the european yearning and longing for the ancient country of the East at that time. Even today, Chinese elements are an indispensable source of inspiration in modern design, and ancient Chinese culture still exudes a unique and fascinating charm. Therefore, we should confidently display China's arrogance and style in front of the world with a more open and inclusive mind.
The pictures marked ☆ are non-exhibits and come from the official website of the collection unit or related bibliographies
The content of this article comes from the zhengzhou museum public number
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Editor-in-Charge: Wu Huijuan
Producer: Henan Picture Network (Henan Daily Newspaper Group Picture Database)