Treasures of the Imperial Household: Fine Enamels and Buddhist Ritual Implements

Metalware was a craft reserved for the wealthy and upper classes in imperial China. Enamels, involving glazes painted and fired onto the surface of a metal body, became an important art form in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The enameling technique of cloisonné was imported from areas west of China, and domestic production began in the Yuan dynasty. It reached a peak in the Jingtai reign of the Ming dynasty, hence becoming known as “Jingtai blue.” In the Qing dynasty, the greatest advances appeared in painted enamels, especially at the courts of the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong emperors. European craftsmen during the Kangxi reign guided the imperial workshops, their achievements even competing with European painted enamels in beauty. Various enameling techniques were also combined in one work of art during Qianlong’s reign, fusing Chinese and Western decoration as well. Turning a glorious new page in the cultural exchange between China and the West, enamels serve as a symbol of national prosperity and artistic skills achieved under the Qing dynasty.