Pair of rosewater sprinklers; China, Qing dynasty, c. 1850.

Pair of rosewater sprinklers; China, Qing dynasty, c. 1850.
Bleu de hue blue and white porcelain.
One of the pieces has hairs and picket.
It has marks on the base.
Measurements: 23 x 10 x 10 cm.
Pair of rosewater sprinker or perfumers for Vietnamese export. Set of two "aspersoirs" or water dispensers. Usually this type of recipients contained water mixed with perfumed essences. Their use was also linked to rituals. The pieces are decorated with the mythical "cobalt blue" or "blue on white" was highly appreciated in Europe since its early importation. In fact, it was so much appreciated by other cultures such as the Islamic one that, very often, it was works destined for this market that ended up influencing European ceramic production, which aspired to resemble as closely as possible this production destined for export created in large quantities in China.
Under the Qing, inherited art forms flourished and innovations occurred at many levels and in many types. High levels of literacy, a successful publishing industry, thriving cities and a Confucian emphasis on cultivation nurtured a lively and creative set of cultural fields. During this period, the European tendency to imitate Chinese artistic traditions, known as chinoiserie, also gained great popularity in Europe due to increased trade with China and the broader current of Orientalism.