Global Qing : Decorative Objects of the Eighteenth-Century Court

Imperial objects reveal a dynasty consciously engaging the foreignIn the eighteenth century, the Beijing imperial palaces displayed lavish decorative objects that embodied the Qing dynasty’s engagement with the wider world. Global Qing uncovers the deeper meaning of these works through three remarkable categories: enameled Yixing ceramics inspired by Europe, lacquerwares evoking Japan, and carved jades associated with Hindustan. Together, these objects reveal a court fascinated by foreign materials, technologies, and aesthetics. Produced or finished in the imperial workshops for the emperors Kangxi (r. 1661–1722), Yongzheng (r. 1723–1735), and Qianlong (r. 1736–1795), these objects did not simply imitate foreign styles. Instead, they translated global ideas into distinctly Qing forms. Artisans experimented with materials and techniques to evoke the “feel” of foreign craftsmanship while adapting those elements to ruling taste and political symbolism. By examining how these objects were produced and appreciated within the palace, Kristina Kleutghen reveals a sophisticated strategy of cultural engagement. Decorative objects allowed the High Qing emperors to position the empire among other great civilizations of the eighteenth-century world. Objects associated with Europe, Japan, and Hindustan were carefully crafted to express imperial confidence, technical mastery, and cosmopolitan ambition. Blending art history, material culture studies, and global history, Global Qing offers a compelling new interpretation of High Qing imperial culture, showing that China’s eighteenth-century court was actively participating in global exchange through objects of extraordinary craftsmanship.