A Global Art Form, A Local Collector: Chinese Cloisonné and Asian Export Art at the George Walter Vincent Smith Museum

Cloisonné is the ancient technique of decorating metal objects with enamel pastes, creating vivid and intricate designs. Believed to have originated in the Byzantine Empire, cloisonné traveled to medieval Europe and was adapted by the Chinese during the Yuan Dynasty (c. 1271 – 1368), where it evolved and flourished over centuries. By the 19th century, Western imperial expansionism in Asia fueled a growing appetite for Chinese treasures, including cloisonné, amongst collectors such as George Walter Vincent Smith. By 1890, Smith’s cloisonné collection had expanded to 150 pieces and featured beautiful examples from the Ming dynasty (c. 1368 – 1644), considered to be the “golden age” of enamel production, as well as the Qing dynasty (c. 1644 – 1912). Presented by Sarah Zhang, M.A. student in Art History, University of Massachusetts Amherst; Sophie Combs, Assistant Curator of Art, Springfield Museums Join us in-person or online! If you plan to attend in person at the Museums, tickets are available on the day of the lecture in the Welcome Center. Members: FREE Springfield residents: $4 Nonmembers: $4 To attend via ZOOM, please register in advance. Online Registration