Pewter Warming Teapot or Wine Vessel
Name/Title
Pewter Warming Teapot or Wine VesselEntry/Object ID
ML0121Description
A Chinese pewter warming teapot or wine vessel featuring highly distinct folklore elements. The lid features a central monkey finial acting as a handle, surrounded by three stylized frogs along the shoulder. Based on the visual composition, clothing styles, and context of early 20th-century Chinese export pewter, the reverse-painted glass panels on your teapot depict the Four Great Beauties of Ancient China (四代美女) or traditional opera heroines. The Woman Looking at the Moon: One panel depicts a woman standing outdoors with a visible crescent moon and stylized red seal script behind her. This represents Diaochan (貂蝉), famously described as a beauty so radiant that the moon itself hid in shame behind the clouds when she looked up at it. The Woman in the Red Hood/Winter Attire: Another panel depicts a figure bundled in a bright red cloak or hood against what looks like an outdoor setting. This represents Wang Zhaojun (王昭君), the palace lady sent North as a political bride to a nomadic ruler. She is traditionally depicted wearing a heavy red winter cloak and carrying a lute (pipa) on her long journey across the snow-capped northern borders. The Domestic Courtyard Scenes: The remaining panels feature elegant court ladies (Meiren) standing next to stone tables, stylized willows, and interior structures. These represent the other two beauties, Xi Shi (西施) and Yang Guifei (杨贵妃), or a broader selection of graceful ladies from classic Chinese opera stories. The metalwork figures cast directly onto the pewter frame tie these panel themes together into a grand folk-art story: The Monkey Finial: Represents Sun Wukong (The Monkey King) from the classic novel Journey to the West. As a trickster deity, he is often depicted on household objects to ward off evil spirits and bring cleverness and luck to the home. The Three Frogs: Frogs and toads are powerful symbols of wealth and abundance in Chinese folklore. Specifically, the mythological three-legged Money Toad (Chan Chu) is a magnet for prosperity and financial success.Type of Sculpture
Free StandingArtwork Details
Medium
PewterSubject
The Four Great Beauties of Ancient ChinaCategory
Chinese Metal Art