Cleveland Museum of Art

Box

Date

1749–50

Medium

silver gilt and enamel

Culture

France, 18th century

Department

Decorative Art and Design

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

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. 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.

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