Chinese Carved Pumpkin-Shaped Teapot and Stand

OwnerOwned by James Cromar Watt (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1862 - 1940)

DateQing Dynasty, 19th century

Object NameTeapot

Mediumsoapstone and wood

ClassificationsApplied Art

DimensionsOverall (Height x Width x Depth): 82 × 180 × 112mm

AcquisitionJames Cromar Watt Bequest, 1941.

LocationOn Display - Gallery 01

Object numberABDMS014482

Keywords

About MeChinese carved cream soapstone teapot in the form of a squat pumpkin. The teapot sits on a carved wooden stand.

The handle and spout are carved to look like branches with prunus blossoms. In Chinese culture the five petal prunus flower symbolises new life.

Hardstone carving is a form of decorative art that has been a part of Chinese culture for over 3,000 years. This is largely due to many of the precious and semi-precious stones used, such as jade, turquoise, malachite, quartz and agate, occurring naturally in certain territories of China.

These different types of stones feature a wide variety of properties that Chinese artists were able to exploit, incorporating the natural coloration and textural qualities of the stones into their designs. Soapstone in particular has a wide colour range, from white through to almost black, depending on its composition. It is so named because of its soap like texture that derives from a 30% to 80% talc content, which also gives it its softness, making it easy to intricately carve.
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