The box shows painted enamel at its most confident. Wire first, then enamel, then fire, repeated until the surface is calm and the gilding catches the light.
A box in painted enamel was never for use alone. It was a statement about control, of colour, of fire, of a pattern held perfectly still.
The Imperial taste ran to crowded, auspicious objects. A box in painted enamel could carry a wish, a reign mark and a lecture in enamel, all at once.
Enamel is the most patient possible boast. This box is on Sinocra with more from The Palace Museum, and the shop carries the craft forward.
Object details
| Name | Painted enamel box (画珐琅八宝攒盒) |
|---|---|
| Artefact no. | 故00116774 |
| Technique | Painted enamel (画珐琅) |
| Period | Imperial dynasty |
| Collection | The Palace Museum, Beijing |
| Source | Palace Museum Digital Collection (数字文物库) |
Image © The Palace Museum. View the original in the Palace Museum Digital Collection.