Chinese Cloisonné Enamel Ruyi or Ju-I Sceptre on Stand
OwnerOwned by
James Cromar Watt
(Aberdeen, Scotland, 1862 - 1940)
DateQing Dynasty Qianlong/Jiaqing Period, 1736 - 1820
Object NameSceptre
Mediummetal, enamel and wood
ClassificationsApplied Art
DimensionsOverall (Height x Width x Depth): 95 × 92 × 420mm
AcquisitionJames Cromar Watt Bequest, 1941.
LocationOn Display - Gallery 01
Object numberABDMS024890
About MeA round handled sceptre with tassel attached to the end on a carved wooden stand.
The sceptre is decorated with Cloisonné enamel, which is an ancient process, passed to the Chinese in the 14th century. Coloured glass is fired within raised metal cells known as cloisons. The final result is a complex and highly decorative design.
One translation of the Chinese term ruyi is "as you wish," and scepters in this shape were often given as gifts because of the good wishes they implied. Although they may have had certain ritual functions, scepters frequently appeared in displays, either placed on stands or in vases and brush pots alongside other functional and/or exotic goods. Ruyi scepters were made in a range of materials including metals, various types of wood, and ivory.
More About Me
Sceptres are ornamental staffs carried by rulers as symbols of sovereignty, so pieces such as these would have been very exclusive in Chinese society.
Exhibitions
James Cromar Watt
Qing Dynasty, 18th - 19th century
James Cromar Watt
Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, 1736-1796
James Cromar Watt
James Cromar Watt
Ming Dynasty, Yongle Period, 1402 - 1424
James Cromar Watt
Qing Dynasty, Daoguang Period (early 19th Century)
James Cromar Watt
James Cromar Watt
