Painted Enamel Begonia Flower Basket

The Painted Enamel Begonia Flower Basket, made of copper, is shaped like a four-petal begonia flower. Its handle is embellished with flower patterns. The outside of the basket features yellow enamel glaze, painted with blooming pink peonies and dotted with blue or pinkish-purple lotus flowers, which symbolize "peace and dignity". The inside is coated with azure glaze, and the bottom adopts white glaze and carries the mark "Made upon the decree of Emperor Kangxi".

Painted enameling is a technique originating in France and mainly used on copper objects. It was introduced to China via Guangzhou Customs in the early days of Emperor Kangxi's reign, and then to the royal court in the late Kangxi era . Then, the royal court's firing technology of painted enamel wares remained imperfect, so experienced craftsmen from Europe and Guangzhou were invited to give instructions.

Emperor Qianlong asked craftsmen to make imitations of this flower basket. The blueprints of some objects were sent to France for production, and some imitations were manufactured at Guangzhou Customs. Today, artifacts modeled after this flower basket by craftsmen in France and Guangzhou Customs can be found in the collection of the Palace Museum.

After painted enameling was introduced to the Qing imperial palace, court craftsmen gradually grasped and improved the technique, which they used on the surface of porcelain, glass, and other objects.

畫琺瑯海棠式花籃

畫琺瑯海棠式花籃，銅胎，為四瓣海棠式，提梁上飾花卉紋。籃身外側以黃色琺瑯釉為底，繪盛開的粉色大朵牡丹，間或飾藍色、藕荷色小荷花，寓意“祥和富貴”。籃內側施天藍色釉，籃底施白釉，有“康熙御制”款識。

畫琺瑯技法源于法國，主要使用在銅胎器物上，在康熙早期由粵海關進入中國，在康熙晚期進入宮廷。當時宮廷畫琺瑯器燒造技術不高，還特請歐洲及廣州畫琺瑯匠師參與指導。乾隆皇帝還曾將此花籃作為范式，要求照樣仿制。有的器物畫樣被送到法國制作，也有的在粵海關完成仿制。如今，法國和粵海關仿制的同款花籃，故宮博物院都有收藏。

清代宮廷自接觸畫琺瑯后，逐漸掌握制造技術并不斷精進，還將畫琺瑯技術運用在陶瓷、玻璃等器物表面，體現了中國自古以來的融合創新能力。