Cloisonné - A Brief History

Cloisonné is the fusion of bronze, glass and metal. It comes from a tradition that is more than 3,000 years old - practiced in both the West and East. The oldest glass products date back to the 11th century B.C. Early cloisonné can be traced back to Egypt circa 1800 B.C. The preliminary stages of Chinese cloisonné are linked with the development of glass and bronze. In China, glassware artifacts date back to the Warring States period (481 - 222 B.C.). During the Shang dynasty (1766 - 1122 B.C.), the Chinese created weapons with colored inlays containing patterns of turquoise and malachite, which in fact, were examples of early cloisonné.

In China, the popularity of cloisonné reached its height during the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), especially during the reign of Chieng-lung, who was a great patron of the arts. The museum’s cloisonné collection was a gift from Dr. Stanford and Beverly Penner. Most of the collection is from the late Qing dynasty and early Republic of China during the 19th and 20th century. The museum invites you to come and enjoy these dazzling pieces of art!