Jewelry box; China, Canton, c. 1900.

Box -jeweler; China, Canton, c. 1900.
Enameled copper.
Presents mark on the base.
Measurements: 6 x 11 x 8 cm.
This enameled copper jewelry box, made in Canton (China) around 1900, is a representative example of Cantonese production intended for both everyday use and the export market. Rectangular in shape with a hinged lid, the piece is covered with a polychrome enamel on a blue background, decorated with floral motifs and stylized scrolls that are repeated in an orderly fashion around its perimeter.
The decoration responds to a traditional symbolic repertoire, in which the flowers evoke prosperity and good omens, while the careful symmetry and vibrant chromaticism reveal the technical skill of the Canton workshops. At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, this type of object became widespread, becoming part of Western collections and dressing tables as functional pieces and, at the same time, of marked ornamental value.