Barrel
Not on view
This large barrel-shaped container features four whimsical figures, three of which represent Asian people—a musician, a dancer, and a merchant—as imagined by Westerners. A fourth figure, apparently European, is characterized as a mariner or an explorer. In an almost comical invocation of the imperial gaze, he peers through a telescope and brandishes a large compass.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.