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PORCELAIN OPIUM CABINET WITH PAINTED DECORATION
Origin: China
Date: Late Qing Dynasty, late 19th–early 20th century
Materials: Porcelain with overglaze polychrome enamel decoration
Dimensions: Appro 18 × 17 cm
Description:
Porcelain opium cabinet designed to store smoking implements in an elegant, compact form. The stepped structure features a central oval aperture—likely once fitted with a small mirror—flanked by shallow compartments. The entire surface is hand-painted with overglaze enamel decoration, including figural scenes, floral sprays, and calligraphic inscriptions.
One panel depicts a scholar with a fan seated beneath a flowering tree, symbolizing leisure and refinement. Another shows two elephants beneath a willow tree, a traditional motif associated with strength, wisdom, and good fortune. Pink cherry blossoms and green foliage enliven the surrounding panels, their delicate rendering contrasting with the cabinet’s functional purpose. Inscriptions in black calligraphy provide poetic or auspicious phrases, enhancing the object’s literati appeal.
Cultural Context:
In the late Qing period, opium smoking was widespread among China’s elite, and accessories were often made from fine materials to reflect the owner’s social status. Porcelain opium cabinets like this, though less common than wooden examples, combined practical storage with artistry, serving as a tabletop statement piece in opium-smoking parlors.
Origin: China
Date: Late Qing Dynasty, late 19th–early 20th century
Materials: Porcelain with overglaze polychrome enamel decoration
Dimensions: Appro 18 × 17 cm
Description:
Porcelain opium cabinet designed to store smoking implements in an elegant, compact form. The stepped structure features a central oval aperture—likely once fitted with a small mirror—flanked by shallow compartments. The entire surface is hand-painted with overglaze enamel decoration, including figural scenes, floral sprays, and calligraphic inscriptions.
One panel depicts a scholar with a fan seated beneath a flowering tree, symbolizing leisure and refinement. Another shows two elephants beneath a willow tree, a traditional motif associated with strength, wisdom, and good fortune. Pink cherry blossoms and green foliage enliven the surrounding panels, their delicate rendering contrasting with the cabinet’s functional purpose. Inscriptions in black calligraphy provide poetic or auspicious phrases, enhancing the object’s literati appeal.
Cultural Context:
In the late Qing period, opium smoking was widespread among China’s elite, and accessories were often made from fine materials to reflect the owner’s social status. Porcelain opium cabinets like this, though less common than wooden examples, combined practical storage with artistry, serving as a tabletop statement piece in opium-smoking parlors.
