COLLECTION STORY

East Meets West

Extraordinary Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Royal Collection

An ovoid-shaped Chinese Ming period porcelain jar painted in rich blue around the sides with two five-clawed dragons among clouds and with rocks and waves below. Round the shoulder a stylised shou (long life character) seems to grow out of the lotus scrol

The Royal Collection incorporates one of the most significant collections of Eastern arts in the Western world. These include a rich cross-section of porcelain, jade, lacquer and other wares produced in China and Japan over many centuries. Today, more than 2,000 objects of this kind are distributed across the royal residences in England and Scotland, reflecting the long-standing interest in rarities from distant lands shown by monarchs and their families.

Click on an object below to explore some of the more unusual items from the Collection, or read the chapters to learn more about their origins and manufacture.

The History of the Collection

Henry VIII is the first English sovereign known to have owned porcelain. Learn about the history of Chinese and Japanese works of art in the Royal Collection