Box (1749–50): Art, History and Details

Box (1749–50) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

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.

Object facts

• Title: Box
• Date: 1749–50
• Culture: France
• Type: Enamel
• Technique: silver gilt and enamel
• Dimensions: Overall: 6.4 x 8.6 cm (2 1/2 x 3 3/8 in.)
• Collection: Decorative Arts
• Department: Decorative Art and Design
• Accession number: 1916.588

A detail from the museum

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.

Collection credit

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.