Covered Punch Bowl, 1680-1700
London, England
Tin-glazed earthenware
Lent by a private collection
At first glance, this monumental vessel with its blue-and-white decoration
resembles Chinese porcelain. In reality, it is one of the finest examples
of English Chinoiserie. English potters copied the exotic imagery on Asian
imports and combined it with conventional western ornament. This punch bowl
features a large unidentified coat-of-arms surrounded by Chinoiserie figures
and foliage, a style that grew out of the European fascination with the Far
East.
