Woman with a pipe

Unknown

ca. 1760–80 · Reverse-painted crown glass, imitation lacquer frame · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

A Chinese woman in furs pauses from smoking her pipe to gaze at the viewer in this seductive reverse-painted mirror decorated in Canton for the European market. In the eighteenth century, France and England began shipping silvered mercury glass to Canton, where specialized workshops decorated them to suit the taste of European consumers. Among the most popular subjects were beautiful women. This example probably represents a courtesan, who beckons the viewer into a space of fantasy and material desires.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1760–80

Medium

Reverse-painted crown glass, imitation lacquer frame

Culture

Chinese, for the European market

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Purchase, Larry and Ann Burns Gift, in honor of Austin B. Chinn, 2022