Chinese musicians
This group of Chinese musicians reflects the continued popularity of chinoiserie, the depiction of fanciful figures and landscapes from an imagined and exotic East. The large scale of the figures, the complexity of their poses, and the high quality of the painted decoration make this group one of the most significant and ambitious pieces of English 18th century porcelain.
Artwork Details
- Title: Chinese musicians
- Factory: Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory (British, 1745–1784, Red Anchor Period, ca. 1753–58)
- Modeler: Joseph Willems (Flemish, 1716–1766)
- Date: ca. 1755
- Culture: British, Chelsea
- Medium: Soft-paste porcelain
- Dimensions: Overall (confirmed): 14 1/2 × 14 1/2 × 14 5/8 in., 30.2 lb. (36.8 × 36.8 × 37.1 cm, 13.7 kg)
- Classification: Ceramics-Porcelain
- Credit Line: Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964
- Object Number: 64.101.474
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Audio
2139. Chinese Musicians, Part 1
0:00
0:00
We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. Please email info@metmuseum.org to request a transcript for this track.
Listen to more about this artwork
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.