The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 24, 2025
Box
1749–50
Overall: 6.4 x 8.6 cm (2 1/2 x 3 3/8 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade 1916.588
Location: Not on view
Did You Know?
The flower petals on the box lid are raised, an effect produced by drops of transparent enamel placed on the box’s surface that imitates polished gemstones or pearls.Description
Chinoiserie in 18th-century France incorporated imitations of East Asian motifs, designs, and ornaments into European art. These imitations were often distorted by the European imagination and were not accurate representations of the cultures from which they drew inspiration. Elements of chinoiserie in this box can be seen primarily on the lid where enormous, vibrantly colored flowers tower over two crouching figures and a grouping of buildings.- 1916Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade, Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art1916–The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Chinoiserie: The Chinese Influence. Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati, OH (organizer) (October 5-December 2, 1979).Cathay Invoked: Chinoiserie, A Celestial Empire in the West. Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Legion of Honor, San Francisco, CA (organizer) (June 10-July 31, 1966).
- {{cite web|title=Box|url=false|author=|year=1749–50|access-date=24 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.588