Jing Tai Lan (the Chinese for cloisonné) is a unique form of art that combines sculpture, painting, copper smithing and porcelain making. Its name originates from a careful pairing of “Jing Tai,” the name of a Ming dynasty emperor during whose reign mass production of such articles began, and “Lan,” meaning blue, which is the background color for most cloisonné goods. Cloisonné enamel techniques were originally brought from Persia to China’s Yunnan Province during the Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming dynasty, Persian techniques were then incorporated with the traditional, native techniques for metal inlaying and porcelain making, resulting in the birth of a new kind of cloisonné called Jing Tai Lan.

This exquisite jewellery box features a slide-out mirror, one large drawer, and two smaller drawers – all elaborately decorated in multi-coloured enamels with floral and lotus motifs against the familiar turquoise, “Lan,” background. The side of the box and the smaller drawers are adorned with stunningly colourful flowers that stem from an individual plant, which overlay a unique geometric pattern. By contrast, the faces of the border of the drawers boast a beautiful assortment of flowers that appear from the side of the unit, rather than from a stem. These borders also lack the geometric pattern. On the dangling pull of each small drawer, there is a lone lotus motif, while the large drawer’s dangling pull is shaped like a leaf.

The luxurious decoration as well as its location on a jewellery box suggests the vanity and importance of appearance in elite Chinese society. A jewellery box in such fine condition is a rare find and an essential part of any Chinese art collection.