Jewelry Box Traveled across the Sea – Glass, Ivory, and Lacquer

Jewelry Box Traveled across the Sea – Glass, Ivory, and Lacquer
Glass painting with a smooth and shiny surface, ivory painting with a beauty of fine and detailed depiction, and softly textured lacquer painting… All reflect a unique characteristic of the material and share the charm of well-crafted work.

In the genre of painting, most are painted on paper or cloth. Precious objects such as a sheet glass, which required high manufacturing skill then, and a rare material including ivory were used in the 18th century Asia. Photography was still not introduced to China and India, trading hubs of European countries, and thus the painting of local people, architecture, and custom became a high-class souvenir to fulfill European exoticism. “Jewelry box,” the painting of exotic Asia on rare material traveled across the oceans as a popular export product.

Chinese Glass Painting and “China Trade Painting”
The first section featuring Chinese Family, a glass painting made during Qing dynasty in China, introduces a series of “China trading painting,” a western style painting produced for export purpose in the 18th and 19th centuries China.

Indian Glass Painting and “Company School”
Around the same time in India, former court painters of Mughal Empire produced “company painting,” a western style miniature painting on various materials including ivory, which reflected the taste of their new patron, the high-class officials of English East India Company. Many of them traveled to England as a souvenir. In addition to the company painting, the section introduces glass paintings from South India, which is said to be influenced by the techniques of Chinese glass painting, and popular religious paintings of Hindu gods and goddesses from the same region.

Contemporary Glass Painting from Java
Contemporary glass painting reflecting the style of Indonesia’s Java culture and Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet) will also be displayed.

Lacquer Painting from China and Vietnam
The last section is dedicated to a series of lacquer painting. In the 20th century Vietnam and China, lacquer painting gained much popularity as an independent genre in contrast to traditional lacquer decoration in the craft. The motif emerges from deep black background, and the silky surface adds soft texture to the painting. Please enjoy the various styles of lacquer painting.