Page 104 - The Parry Collection Bonhams London November 2 2021

The Parry Imperial Beijing Painted

Enamel Melon-Shaped Teapot:

An Important Re-Discovery

Zhang Rong
The Palace Museum, Beijing

Painted enamel wares were a new and developing art in the This essay introduces an eight-lobed melon-shaped, copper
Qing dynasty. They can be categorised and divided according body, painted enamel teapot and cover. It is 8.7cm high and
to the different bodies on which the enamels are painted on, 15cm long. Until now the teapot was only known to us from a
including painted enamels on copper, painted enamels on small black and white photograph illustrated in the catalogue
porcelain, painted enamels on Yixing clay, painted enamel of the Royal Academy of Arts, International Exhibition of
on glass, and painted enamels on gold and silver. Painted Chinese Art, London, 1935-36. However, we can now
enamels on copper body wares were successfully created examine it in great detail. The spout flows out from a dragon’s
during the late Kangxi reign in the Qing Imperial Workshops in head attached to the body, the upper and lower handle is also
the Forbidden City, and afterwards there were some created decorated with two dragon heads. The interior is applied with
on other materials. The Zaobanchu or Imperial Workshops a light blue enamel. The cover is an eight-lobed petal shape,
was one of the Imperial Ateliers under the supervision of with an Imperial yellow ground and red ochre landscapes,
the Neiwufu or Imperial Household Department, whose figures and flowers. The mouth and foot are decorated with a
responsibilities included manufacturing, repairing, and band of key-fret and floral scrolls respectively. The shoulders
stockpiling items made for the Imperial Household. The and lower part of the body are painted with a band of eight
Zaobanchu gezuo chengzuo huaji qingdang (‘Archives of ruyi clouds filled in with a herringbone armour pattern. The
the Workshop of the Qing Imperial Household Department’, body is decorated with roses and butterflies, plum blossom
hereafter referred to as the ‘Qing Archives’) preserved in and orchids, camellias, hibiscus, and landscapes with figures.
the First Historical Archives of China, is a diary of the daily All together, they represent the four seasons of Spring,
undertakings and various tasks conducted by the Imperial Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The base of the teapot is
Household Department and the Imperial Workshops, painted with a coiled archaistic dragon on a white ground,
beginning from the first year of the Yongzheng reign in 1723, within which is a four-character Qianlong reign mark in regular
to the third year of the Xuantong reign in 1911. script. In what year was this teapot of melon-shape, with

The Qing Archives record in great detail the various Imperial bright enamels and exquisite paintings made in the Qianlong
reign, and what was the background to its production?
decrees and work assignments including gold and jade work,
boxes, painted enamels etc., as well as other things such The author has combed through the Qing Archives and was
as repair and maintenance. It also lists the year, month, and thrilled to find a record from the Fifth year of the Qianlong
day, as well as the title and name of the commissioner, the reign (corresponding to 1740):
Imperial decree itself, and the process of who will take it away In the Fifth year of the Qianlong reign, Qianqing Palace, on the
or submit it after the finished item is completed. In addition to Second day of the Fifth month, Chief commissioner Samuha
‘Beijing enamels’ made in the Imperial Workshops in Beijing, of the seventh rank said that the eunuch Gao Yu and others
painted enamel wares were also made in Guangzhou and are presented two painted enamel melon-lobed teapots. The
more commonly known as ‘Canton enamels’. The painted Decree was passed, and the matching case was placed in
enamel wares made in the Imperial Workshops in Beijing the Qianqing Palace with the enamel vessels. By order of
were only made during the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong the Emperor. 1
reigns, and most are kept in the Palace Museums on both
sides of the strait. The Qianlong reign represents the height So, the question is, how can these concise lines prove that it
of the Empire’s power, and significant funds, materials and is the same painted enamel teapot introduced in this essay?
manpower were invested into the production of various items. The analysis is as follows:
Thus, the production of porcelain, enamels, jade, gold and
silverware, lacquerware, and glassware during the Qianlong
reign reached an unprecedented peak, leaving many
treasures to us today.

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