Plate with birds and flowers

mid-18th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 221

As the first point of contact between Europe and China, Canton (now Guangzhou) was a center of enamel production and distribution throughout the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. Wares from the city’s workshops, known as “Canton enamels,” commonly featured popular motifs based on court designs from Beijing. One of the most favored examples depicts lively birds and flowers surrounded by a dense floral border. This design can be found on enameled porcelain created for both domestic and export markets.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Exhibition History

清乾隆銅胎畫琺瑯花鳥紋盤
Title: Plate with birds and flowers
Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
Date: mid-18th century
Culture: China
Medium: Painted enamel on copper alloy
Dimensions: Diam. 17 3/4 in. (45.1 cm)
Classification: Enamels
Credit Line: Bequest of Mary Clark Thompson, 1923
Object Number: 24.80.326
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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