Description:
Chinese export painted enamel jug with a hinged lid and handle based on an European metalware form, decorated with flowers and butterflies in pink, purple, green, yellow, blue, turquoise, and red. The technique of painting enamels on metals was introduced in China during the Kangxi reign (1662-1722), probably by Jesuit missionaries, and the Chinese made much of this enameled ware for the export market. The artisan began with a strong metallic body, usually of bronze, copper, silver, or gold, covering the surface with white enamel, a material related to ceramic glazes that is opacified by the use of arsenic. The 1st low-temperature firing affixed the enamel but did not bond it securely to the metal body, accounting for the fragility of the ware; decorators then applied a variety of colored glazes to the white surface, sometimes within a finely engraved line. The piece was fired a 2cd time at a low temperature, and finished with black highlights and gilding applied to the rims and mounts without firing. While jugs such as this are infrequently seen in Chinese enamels, they often appear in Chinese export porcelain. This design may have appealed to the West's love of colorful flowers and insects, but the images had double meanings to the Chinese artisans. Butterflies represent conjugal bliss and joy, and also can be interpreted as symbols of longevity. Flowers also have special meaning within Chinese culture and society; each of the four different flowers that decorate this jug represents a different season. Prunus blossoms both symbolize beauty, purity, and longevity, for it is believed that Laozi (one of the Taoist immortals) was born under its branches, and are one of the three friends of winter (along with the pine tree and bamboo). The peony, queen of flowers, is a symbol of spring, and also connotes love, feminine beauty, wealth, and good luck. Chrysanthemums are emblematic of autumn and a symbol of joviality, and the lotus on the top of the lid represents summer.
Label Text:
Flowers also have special meaning within Chinese culture and society; each of the four different flowers that decorate this jug represents a different season. Prunus or plum blossoms flower in late winter and symbolize beauty, purity, and longevity. The peony is a symbol of spring, and also connotes love, feminine beauty, wealth, and good luck. Chrysanthemums are emblematic of autumn and a symbol of joviality, and the lotus on the top of the lid represents summer.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+58.131 |
