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Dish with Europeans Playing Musical Instruments

A work made of porcelain painted in underglaze blue.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of porcelain painted in underglaze blue.

Date:

Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi period (1661–1722)

Artist:

China

About this artwork

The design of musicians in the center of this dish is based on a print of a French “costume party” designed by French engravers. One possible source is the engraving titled Symphonie du Tympanum, du Luth et de la Flut d’Allemagne [Symphony of Dulcimer, Lute, and German Flute] by Nicholas Bonnart (1646-1718) and Robert Bonnart (1652-after 1686). Chinese porcelains decorated with such images reflected prevailing European fashion for masquerades and were generally commissioned for export to France, Italy, and Holland. As characteristic of many export wares ordered and shipped abroad by maritime companies and private traders, the panels of Chinese landscape encircling this French image create a truly multicultural composition.

Although this dish was most likely intended for a French or other European client, the introduction of European aristocratic culture to China may also have piqued the interest of wealthy Chinese consumers in such romantically exotic designs.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Asia

Title

Dish with Europeans Playing Musical Instruments

Place

China (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1661–1722

Medium

Porcelain painted in underglaze blue

Dimensions

5.5 × 34.1 cm (2 3/16 × 13 7/16 in.); Diam.: 34.1 cm (13 7/16 in.)

Credit Line

Bequest of Henry C. Schwab

Reference Number

1941.787

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/42879/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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