East Meets West
Extraordinary Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Royal Collection
Clay figure of a standing Chinese man
late eighteenth centuryRCIN 26084
This lifelike figure of a court official has a surprising feature: the head is attached inside the body to a weighted rod which pivots, so that it appears to nod. Models like this were probably produced in South China and were generally made for export to Europe. They were among the most impressive pieces on display in the Gallery at the Royal Pavilion, Brighton, where, as Prince Regent, George IV (1762–1830) created lavish Eastern-inspired interiors. The clay figures housed there represent a selection of character types of both sexes from the late Qing dynasty (1644–1911).