EUROPEAN OBJETS D’ART

0111 Among the many sensational accounts of French plunder appearing in the British press after the 1860 invasion is this reprint from Journal du Havre, which mentions a European clock:

China–THE FRENCH BOOTY.–The following appears in the Journal du Havre:–‘With regard to the booty made in China, inestimable conquests, in an artistical and historical point of view, are spoken of. The part acquired by France would alone suffice for the formation of an immense Chinese museum. Among other things mentioned is a clock, of wonderful workmanship, with carved figures representing the seasons; all the wardrobe of the Empress of China, &c. There has also fallen to the lot of the French an edition of Confucius, which belonged to the celebrated Emperor Kag-Di, the Napoleon I of the Chinese, and having notes in his handwriting. Among the other objects found in the summer palace, and which are in parts reserved for France, is an elephant of natural size, in gilt and enamelled bronze, and most magnificent.’ (1 January 1861, Kentish Gazette, p. 8.)

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0112 In the catalogue for an 1862 loan exhibition at the South Kensington Museum appeared the following entry:

No. 7,628. Crystal vessel in the form of a flying fish, the body of one large piece carved in relief with fins, &c., the head and tail joined by silver-gilt mounts, set with stones carved with incuse scrolls, supported by a crystal kneeling figure of Pan on a foot of silver repoussé ornaments. This fine specimen was brought from the summer palace of Pekin. Height. 13 3/8 in.; length, 19 in. DUKE OF BUCCLEUGH. (J.C. Robinson, ed. Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Works of Art of the Medieval, Renaissance, and More Recent Periods, on Loan at the South Kensington Museum, June 1862. Revised edition (January 1863), London: George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode, p. 664.)

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0113 In the same catalogue for the 1862 loan exhibition at the South Kensington Museum appeared the following entry:

No. 7,639. Spherical variegated onyx ewer, cut out of a fine solid pebble; surface plain except two triple crossed lines, baluster stem and round foot, with gold mounts, richly enamelled white leaves and pencilled black outlines; set with ruby cabochons round the handle, cover, spout, and foot; the onyx ewer is of antique Roman work, and the mounting added in Italy in the 16th century. Notwithstanding the undoubtedly European origin of this elegant object, it was obtained at the sack of the Summer Palace in China. Height, 5 3/4 in. T.M. WHITEHEAD, ESQ. (J.C. Robinson, ed. Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Works of Art of the Medieval, Renaissance, and More Recent Periods, on Loan at the South Kensington Museum, June 1862. Revised edition (January 1863), London: George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode, pp. 666–67.)

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0008 An auction at Phillips in 1861 featured a group of ornate boxes, small carvings and timepieces from Europe under the heading: ‘The following OBJECTS were taken from the Emperor’s Summer Palace, at Pekin.’  [Lots 96, 98 and 99 could be Chinese, but are included here for continuity.]:

p. 6

‘The following OBJECTS were taken from the Emperor’s Summer Palace, at Pekin.

87 An oblong GOLD BOX, engraved and chased, with a watch inserted in the lid and a musical movement at the bottom.

88 A beautiful flat GOLD BOX, of the period of Louis XV, richly chased and set with moss agates, the interior fitted with compartments as a patch box, the lid of which is also of chased gold.

89 A shaped box of red cornelian, mounted in gold.

90 A beautifully chased gold figure of Minerva, of the period of Louis XV.

91 A pair of silver-gilt boxes and covers, chased in festoons.

92 A beautiful old French NECESSAIRE, formed of CORNELIAN and GOLD, richly chased in figures and animals, with interior fittings.

93 An ETUI, of variegated agate, gold mounted, with brilliant snap and interior fittings.

94 A beautiful old chased GOLD WATCH, the back of bloodstone, set with precious stones, and repeating movement by J. Champion.

95 A watch, by Acton, in a chased copper gilt case.

96 A knife with jade handle, the sheath mounted with gold.

97 Two enamelled silver telescopes and 2 scent bottles.

98 A pair of beautifully carved ivory trays, with raised coloured ornaments.

99 A box containing a quantity of beautiful carvings, in ivory, representing figures, birds, animals, insects and flowers, forming the decorations of a cabinet or screen about 75 pieces.’

A Catalogue of a Consignment of Interesting Objects from Pekin Including A Gold Box, with Watch inserted, and Musical Movement, others with Agates and Rare Stones, Ancient Gold Watches, by Champion and Acton, Agate and Gold Necessaire, A Figure Chased in Gold, Carvings in Ivory, also, a Casket of Jewellery, Consisting of Necklettes, Bracelets, Rings, and Ornaments of the Person, enriched with Diamonds, Rubies, Opals, Turquoise and other stones; ... 18th July 1861, London: M. Phillips 1861, p. 6.) 

中文:

圆明园文物出现 在 Phillips 拍卖目录， 十八  七月  1861年：

页面 六

“以下  事物  取自 了  皇 帝   的  北京  圆明园。

87

一 件 长圆形  的 雕刻 和 雕刻 金 匣。它 的 内盖 带 有  怀表和   底部 有 音乐  零部件。

88

一 件  漂亮  扁平   金  匣， 时代 的 路易  十五  。它 是  雕刻  有  苔藓玛瑙。 内部 有  间隔 。像  一 个 放 有 装饰   用 途  的 遮 瑕  贴  的 盒子 。盖 子 是 用 雕刻 黄金 的。

89      

一 个 精心 雕琢 的 用 黄金 镶 边 的 紅瑪瑙  盒 。 

90

路易 十 五  时代 的用  黄金   雕刻 精美 的 智慧  女神像  人士。 

91

一對   银鎏金    的   盒子，有   雕刻 的    花 边。

92

一 个 古老 漂亮  的  来自 法国 的 用 黄金 装饰  红玛瑙 盒 ，人像  和  动物  色华 雕刻 ， 包含 内 配件。人像 和  动物 色华 雕刻 ， 包含 内  配件。

93

一 个  用 黄 金   镶边 的杂色玛瑙 杂物 盒带   有   钻石装饰  的   盒 扣和     内  配件。

94

一 个   精美 雕刻   的用  黄金 的 估  怀表， 面  是 镶嵌 有 宝石 和  J. Champion 制造 正点  零件。

95

一 个 Acton   怀表  在   一 個   雕饰   和  镀金  铜  盒. 

96

一  把  带有 玉 把手 刀子  和 鞘 黄 金  镶 边 .

97

两  个  上  漆  的 银 色  望远镜 和 两  个  香水瓶。

98

一  对   雕刻  精美  的 象牙 盘子，带有  彩色 浮雕 装饰物。

99

一个 裝 有  大量  精美 牙雕  的  盒  子 。这些  牙雕 有 七十五 个  以及  它们   刻制  有 人物，鸟兽 花虫，古董  櫃  或者 屏风 装饰物 . 

张小蕾和凯特 · 希尔（Kate Hill）

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0048 A newspaper review of the Dudley Industrial Exhibition, organized by the Dudley Geological Society and friends, stated that the display included everything from ‘a lump of coal to a Snuffbox from the Summer Palace of the Emperor of China.’ (23 September 1866, The Era, p. 15.)

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0088 An account of a tour through the Alps appeared in 1863 in the Glasgow Herald, under the title ‘Travelling Notes of an Invalid in Search of Health’. The author commended the watchmakers of Fleurier, in Neuchâtel:

‘It is confidently affirmed even that Paris is not better known at Kamschatka than the little town of Fleurier, and that the mass of horological loot which the French soldiers carried off from the Summer Palace at Pekin had been made by the artisans of Fleurier. In fact, that place had for a long period obtained the exclusive privilege of sending into the Celestial Empire the number of from ten to twelve thousand watches annually.’ (3 August 1863, Glasgow Herald, p. 4.)

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0047 The following 34 items were included in the catalogue of Capitaine Negroni’s collection of spoils from the Yuanmingyuan, exhibited at the Crystal Palace in 1865:

p. 26

European Jewels Presented at Various Times to the Emperors of China.

142. A time-piece, in the form of a flacon, in the style of Louis XV., enriched with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and turquoise, &c. Above the dial is a visible escapement, set with diamonds, and on the other side of the flacon there is a compartment containing a small mechanical singing bird, perched on a delicate golden spray; its movement and its notes are most natural. The stopper serves for a key to wind up the mechanism.

143. A marquise snuff-box, also of the style of Louis XV., and equally rich in precious stones. There is a medallion on the lid, representing the fountaine des innocents, at which a young Parisian, in the costume of the day, is drawing water; she leads with her a little white lamb.

144. A very elegant little scent-bottle, of the same style. *** These articles were deservedly prized by the monarchs of the Celestial Empire, on account of the beauty of the enamel, the fineness of the arabesques, and the immense number of gems with which they are enriched. They are all of one style, and probably formed part of a royal present accompanying an embassy from Europe.

145. An enamelled watch, enriched with fine pearls and rubies; also style of Louis XV.

146. A beautiful lady’s watch of the same style.

147. An enamelled box, style of Louis XVI. The centre of the lid is a watch-dial, encircled by twenty-six diamond cylinders. On touching a spring, a musical box plays a series of French airs, while at the same time the cylinders are put in motion, and produce a most brilliant effect.

p. 27

148. An oval enamel watch of the style of Louis XVI., enriched with diamonds and fine pearls, in great profusion. The enamel is beautiful in the extreme; the mechanism only requires winding-up once in eight days. It was made by W. Anthony, of London, to replace the original works.

149. A round enamelled watch of the same style, also enriched with pearls and diamonds. The enamel is splendid; the engraving remarkably fine. The movement is also by W. Anthony.

150. A watch exactly like the above, made to suit the Oriental fancy of having pairs of everything.

151. A smaller watch, with large rose-diamond in the centre, with two diamond circles surrounded by gold and pearl scrolls, terminating with diamonds.

152. A beautiful enamelled watch, with circles of fine pearls. It has also a medallion in the centre, with a Chinese character in diamonds, resting on a beautiful enamelled group of flowers; while the whole is surmounted by a beautiful little carrier-pigeon. Style of Louis XVI.

153. A double-cased watch of the same epoch, enriched with pearls, emeralds, &c., and retaining its original movement. It is surmounted by a beautiful medallion in the style of Boucher, representing the portrait of a Duaphine; the ornaments of her coiffeur, her laces, and other rich articles of dress, are given with and delicacy.

154. A large watch of the time of Louis XVI., enriched with fine enamels and five large pearls in the centre, surrounded by scrolls of gold, set with pearls. The movement is very fine, it goes for eight days.

155. A watch found among the jewels of the Empress. It is of most beautiful workmanship and exquisite taste; on the back is a group of roses and other flowers on a turquoise ground. Their truth to nature is perfectly wonderful. The whole is encircled with pearls.

156. An enamel watch, with repeating movement in steel. It is enriched with pearls, and has a medallion on which is represented a young lady standing over a cradle, which contains a charming little infant; the drawing and painting of these figures are very artistic. The style is Louis XVI.

p. 28

157. A watch of the same period, having a double scroll of pearls surrounding a fine red enamel. The dial of this watch has been broken, and is replaced by a silver one of Chinese manufacture; the imperfect workmanship shows how little they understood watch-making.

158. A watch of the time of Louis XIII., enriched with a group of diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds, on a slab of onyx. The dial is encircled by similar stones.

159. A time-piece of the same period, ornamented with a great variety of agates and enamels, of which the arrangement is wonderfully effective.

160. A small time-piece of the time of Louis XVI. It has a double border of pearls and a beautiful enamelled medallion over the dial, representing a young lady in the costume of that age, holding an infant to catch a passing dove, while another child endeavors to climb up her robe and forestall him. The whole group is very pleasingly arranged, and the execution is admirable. These enamels were painted by Watteau.

161. A fellow time-piece, completing the pair.

162. The Empress’s enamelled waist-clasp. It has a watch in the centre with two lavender borders, between which is a beautiful dark blue enamel, relieved with bouquets of flowers.

163. A small child’s telescope, style of Louis XIII. The tube is of onyx, encircled by a golden band, beautifully pierced.

164. A small child’s lunette, in gold, very finely chased, in the style of Louis XIII.

165. A box in the same style, surmounted by a medallion portrait of one of the Dauphins, very well executed, after the Flemish school.

166. An oval box surmounted by a medallion, representing Venus playing with Cupid. The delicate shades of the painting shew that this is one of the fine Saxony enamels.

167. A box, having outside the lid a fine painting, by Rubens, of the “Judgment of Solomon.” All the details of the picture, as well as the colouring, leave no doubt as to the merits of this chef-d’oeuvre: it is a marvellous work, quite unattainable in the present day. Inside there is a fine landscape, probably by the same artist.

p. 29

168. A box in Rousatre onyx, with simple gold border. It is of the time of Louis XIII.

169. A box in Saxony enamel, very delicately executed; inside the lid is a picture in the style of Bouchet, representing the flight into Egypt.

170. A snuff box of the time of Louis XVI. covered with golden fleurs de lis on a ground of delicate lilac enamel; on each angle is an oval medallion, with a beautiful vase and lilac enamel. There is a fine large shield on the lid, with a Swiss landscape, having on the foreground a shepherd and shepherdess with their flock. The shepherdess carries a pet lamb in her arms.

171.  A beautiful golden telescope, also of the time of Louis XVI., enriched with pearls and incomparable enamels, representing medallions of fruit on a red ground. The rest of the tube is covered with wreaths of flowers in gold on a black ground. The cover for the end is a splendid watch mounted in pearls. There are also three rows of pearls encircling other parts of the glass.

172. A telescope in gold, with five enamelled bands; these are of very curious and rare workmanship.

173. The box sent to China by Marie Antoinette, and which bears her cypher. It is divided into three compartments, one being a musical box with an automaton mountebank, &c. The medallion on the centre represents St. Cecilia, and the compartments are covered with bouquets of flowers. In the same compartment as the watch is a medallion having a view of the Petit Trianon–a favourite spot with the unfortunate Queen. At the bottom of the box is a fine painting of a music lesson, which serves as a cover to a secret compartment which can only be opened by touching three small springs at the same time.

p. 30

174. A little golden filagree cage of the style of Louis XVI., ornamented with fine pearls and enamels. In the base is a piece of mechanism, calculated to be composed of 2,500 distinct pieces. In connection with it is a watch and two beautiful little birds, which move and sing in the most natural manner. The movement is not simply turning from side to side, but wings, beak, tail, and eyes are all in motion, and the tone is just what might be produced by a living bird.

p. 42

396. A time-piece with chimes, found on a console facing the throne. It formed part of the present accompanying the embassy of Earl Macartney, in 1793. It chimes the quarters, and has a fine musical box in the base.

397. Another time-piece found in the same place. A time-piece in ordinary wood case, ornamented by order of one of the Emperors.

See Catalogue of Captain de Negroni's Collection of Porcelain, Jade, Jewels, Silks, Furs, Stones, &c., from Yuen-Min-Yuen, (The Summer Palace) Pekin, London: McCorquodale & Co. 1865, pp. 26-30, 42.) The collection was sold through Messrs. Foster in June 1866. (16 June 1866, Birmingham Gazette, p. 4.)

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0110 After the 1860 war, the British press published broadsides against the French army, which they asserted had taken the lion’s share of loot at the Yuanmingyuan. Many editorials emphasized the French interest in jewels and watches, which suggests the large number of timepieces from the palace that might now be in circulation. One such account in the Liverpool Mercury quoted a member of the British expedition:

The number of watches is immense. I believe every French soldier has got one, and I know of one man who brought away 92. The Emperor had a decided taste for clocks and watches. In every room of the palace were some handsome ormolu clocks by London and French makers, and some of the watches I have seen among the French are of superior workmanship and elaborate and costly setting. (1 January 1861, Liverpool Mercury, p. 2.)

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All material on this page, unless otherwise credited, was produced by Kate Hill, who asserts her authorship of the work. © Kate Hill, Yuanmingyuan Artefact Index, 2016.