Chinese family 1745 - 1760

Editor: This porcelain sculpture, titled "Chinese Family", dates from around 1745 to 1760 and was made by the Saint James's Factory. It feels a bit whimsical to me, like a porcelain doll tableau. What stands out to you? Curator: The 'Chinese Family' encapsulates a fascinating moment of cultural exchange and fantasy. Note the idealized, almost theatrical presentation of the figures. This piece isn't necessarily a direct representation of a Chinese family but rather a European interpretation, influenced by Chinoiserie, a style reflecting European fascination with East Asia. Editor: So, it’s not really "Chinese" at all, or not entirely? Curator: The clothing, the features, the parrot perched above – they're signifiers. Each one operates as a symbol designed to evoke "China" in the European imagination. The artist plays with recognisable stereotypes or elements of Chinese iconography that a European audience would recognize and consume. What does the family grouping convey? Editor: Protection? Continuity? Maybe even exoticism for its original audience? It’s interesting to think that each element functions like a little cultural message. Curator: Precisely! And those messages shift and evolve over time. Consider how our own understanding is shaped by historical context and our distance from the original intention. The material, porcelain, was also highly prized. It acted as a symbol of wealth and luxury adding another layer to its cultural significance. What does it evoke in you now? Editor: Now I’m seeing the sculpture less as a quaint depiction, and more as a complex interplay of cultural interpretation, desire, and representation. Thank you. Curator: It is precisely in tracing these shifting meanings, these layers of interpretation, that we can truly understand the lasting power of this "Chinese Family".