Table screen tile

Table screens were among the items considered essential to the Chinese gentleman. They were made in different materials, and could be found in a scholar’s studio. The subject matter and unusual decoration here, however, suggest that this one was intended for the European market. This porcelain tile painted in enamels and gold displays European figures in a garden. The shou character (longevity) is in the centre of the frame at top. Blue and white porcelain decorated with European subjects and scenes was common during the Yongzheng period, and the demand for such products illustrates the European fascination with the East during this time.

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