In this episode we meet the French artists, curators and historians who demonstrate how centuries of artistic exchange with China have resulted in a cultural legacy that is still evolving, along with the creation of a unique art form – cloisonne – that is both Chinese and European.
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00:00Tradition, trade, and culture have connected Europe and China for hundreds of years.
00:08In the 18th century, a small number of products escaped from China and lit a touch paper in the
00:13West of excitement. In this special series, we'll uncover the intertwined social and cultural
00:20histories of Europe and China from the ancient Silk Road to the modern era. Art is traveling
00:27as a silent ambassador to spread the word about culture and civilization. It's amazingly
00:33impressive because they were such incredibly talented artists. When you talk about silk,
00:38with the value of three or four garments, you could buy a palace.
00:42We'll be seeking out the European spaces where traces of China lie hidden in plain sight.
00:48Wow!
00:50This is the Chinese room and it's definitely one of my favorites within the house.
00:59Welcome to Traces of China.
01:09There is an historical side in my job that is actually fantastic. There is something,
01:14when you work on an object that you know was used on a daily basis by Louis XIV or
01:20Marie Antoinette, you have that direct connection to history and to people. But I think what's
01:26fascinating is the marquetry work. But that motif here, you would think it's a European
01:32marquetry design. And actually, no, it's Chinese. While it's not an obvious Chinese-style object,
01:40you do have reminiscence of what later we would call chinoiserie.
01:50Decorative furniture, blue and white plates, colourful patterns with birds and butterflies.
01:57We see this everywhere in our everyday lives and it has a name.
02:02It's called chinoiserie. But where does it come from?
02:0517th-century France, you started to see what we call the age of exploration. And I think most of
02:11the European nation quickly realized that if they wanted to develop their industry,
02:15they wanted to develop their art and their wealth, they had to go to other parts of the world.
02:24The Palace of Versailles on the outskirts of Paris stands as a majestic symbol of 17th-century
02:31stands as a majestic symbol of 17th-century French grandeur.
02:36It was built by King Louis XIV, not just as a royal residence,
02:40but also home to his vast collection of art from across the world.
02:51Here in this big panel, in the background, you can see a pagoda.
02:55In European paintings which describe China, there was always a pagoda.
03:01Known as the Great Sun King, Louis XIV was on the throne from the age of four
03:07and reigned for 72 years, the longest of any European monarch.
03:14Louis XIV is possibly the most important king in French history. He was appointed by God.
03:19As we know, most kings are appointed by God. Unfortunately for Louis XIV, when he's a young
03:24teenager, there is an early revolution against him, so he moves to Versailles.
03:29Versailles, to start with, is only a small hunting lodge,
03:34and then it becomes the center of government. And of course, when you invite ambassadors from
03:39abroad, you want to impress them, so you then develop Versailles into this massive palace
03:44that we know today. Tell me a little bit about Louis XIV. What was he like?
03:53Louis XIV loved paintings. He was a great, great collector. He ordered many, many paintings for the
04:00decoration of the castle, but he liked also decorative arts. He liked sculpture. He liked
04:06all the arts. Where did his interest in Chinese culture come from?
04:11His interest for China came very early. Many books were published at this time,
04:17written by merchants or missionaries who went to China, and it gave an idea of the
04:23main monuments of Beijing and other places. So the knowledge about China was changing,
04:29really, at this time. As knowledge continues to spread,
04:35the king hears word of a great porcelain temple in the Chinese city of Nanjing.
04:41It's one of the tallest buildings of Asia. It became one of the eighth wonders of the world
04:46at the time. The great Sun King's appetite to impress,
04:51combined with his infatuation with the East, leads him to an elaborate plan.
04:58I think when you're appointed by God, you're immediately going to be a bit flamboyant
05:02and believe in yourself. I think in English you'd call it an egocentric.
05:07So if the Chinese can make a Chinese pagoda, let's make a porcelain building in Versailles.
05:14But the biggest problem is we couldn't make porcelain. Everybody was working on the trade
05:20secret. Everybody was trying to make porcelain. So they decided, instead of making it in porcelain,
05:26to make it in ordinary terracotta and glazed in white. And that's when the Trianon de Porcelain
05:32was born. The Trianon de Porcelain is hailed as the very first example of chinoiserie,
05:40inspired by China, made in France. And it was decorated with hundreds
05:46of enormous blue and white terracotta pots standing on the top of the roof.
05:55The extravagant structure was built on these very grounds of Versailles in 1670,
06:01a celebrated masterpiece of artistic innovation and cultural aspirations.
06:07Unfortunately, because it was made of European ceramic and not porcelain,
06:13it didn't last very long. The first frost came in and suddenly started cracking.
06:18So that building was eventually destroyed in less than 15 years.
06:25The ongoing costs and maintenance of the faux porcelain palace led to its replacement with
06:31the Grand Trianon, the durable marble structure still standing on the same grounds of Versailles
06:36today. While the porcelain palace didn't survive, the appetite for Chinese art was growing fast with
06:48the upper classes. Becoming so popular, the supply from China couldn't meet the demand.
06:55I'm curator at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and I'm in head of the Asian collections.
07:03We're moving pieces, changing pieces for the 60th anniversary of the French and Chinese
07:10cultural relationship. Famous portrait of the Qianlong Emperor.
07:18Here at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, a unique collection has been presented
07:23to illustrate a profound moment in European art history.
07:28Beatrice, tell me what we're looking at here.
07:30Here we're looking at Chinese porcelain on the top shelf and then European ceramics on the two
07:37lower here in the purpose of showing how China had influenced the other manufacturers in Europe.
07:46What kind of differences are we looking for between the Chinese
07:50originals and then the European copies?
07:52There's different things. For example, this dish, the large dish, is Chinese,
07:57made especially for the European market. Using Chinese symbols, Chinese decoration motif,
08:05this dish mimics it, but even enhancing it by this relief that they made.
08:14Sometimes the French adapted to their own taste and to their own idea of what was Chinese and
08:20what was not. We can go to this part of the showcase, for example.
08:25This is a beautiful dragon here.
08:27Yes, the European painter didn't understand quite well the Chinese model and changed the face of
08:34the dragon. And also we have to remember the meaning of the dragon was totally opposite.
08:39Dragon in China, particularly, it was the symbol of the emperor,
08:44where in Europe it was more the symbol of evil.
08:49These French artists were now turning their hands to a new style of decoration
08:54set to take Europe by storm.
08:56He would have a book with prints and then the European man, never seen a pagoda in his life,
09:01but will draw a copy of that pagoda from that book.
09:05This is amazing. What are we looking at here?
09:08This area, which is very interesting, is a mixture between Chinese object origin,
09:14like the paneling here, all the red paneling, the porcelain here, and also imitation of the
09:20Chinese model. This is not Chinese, this is totally imitation from Germany and Delft.
09:28Imitating, but also imitating with the Chinese model,
09:32Imitating, but also imitating with the need of adapting to your style of living.
09:41Within this installation, designed to look like the shop of an 18th century art dealer,
09:46we can see how the Chinese aesthetic has been mixed with practical furniture designs
09:51for a European customer.
09:54In Asia, they don't make furniture on legs, as opposed to Europe, where everything is on legs.
09:59So in order to get what you want for your French castle, you have to make a French cabinet,
10:05and if you want it in the style of China, that's when you start integrating Chinese elements to it.
10:11And that's when it's becoming that kind of chinoiserie style.
10:14You have a mix of the two worlds put together into one object.
10:22What was it about France that made it this big center of chinoiserie?
10:27Interestingly enough, the trade was not so much into the French hands,
10:33and it started long before with the Portuguese, the Spanish, and the Dutch.
10:39But the taste in Europe, what was good taste, was given by the French court.
10:46Yeah, because the term chinoiserie is a French term.
10:50Indeed, but not used in the 18th century. Probably first half of the 19th century,
10:56the fashion of revivaling some old style from the 18th century
11:01participate to this invention of word chinoiserie.
11:07So while the 18th century is considered the golden age of chinoiserie,
11:11it wasn't until the 19th century resurgence that the term was coined,
11:16receiving a mixture of reviews.
11:19The origin of chinoiserie, when Louis XIV did the Trianon de Porcelain,
11:23I think it was done with great taste.
11:26And, you know, sometimes we say less is more.
11:28Well, by the 19th century, they lost that concept of less and more.
11:35Echoes of the playful chinoiserie style were increasingly scattered across Europe,
11:40subtly hidden in plain sight.
11:42This trend, however, left some Paris residents feeling a need for something more authentic.
11:50Hello.
11:51Emilia, welcome to the pagoda.
11:52So happy to see you.
11:54Come in.
11:54Thank you, Jacqueline.
12:01Oh my gosh, this is amazing.
12:03I know. And you wouldn't expect this in the middle of Paris.
12:07How incredible to just find this in the middle of all the Parisian buildings.
12:12Who built this?
12:13It was built in 1926 by Monsieur Lou, the famous Asian art dealer,
12:18who built this place as a place of cultural exchange and an art gallery.
12:25This building was known as the Paris Pagoda,
12:28and was purchased by the art dealer C.T. Lou in 1925 as a typical Parisian townhouse.
12:35It was then transformed into an authentic-looking pagoda
12:38to be a center point for Asian art dealings in the Western world.
12:44What are the most interesting architectural features here?
12:47Well, I think already the outside of the building and the location is amazing.
12:52You have all the architectural features of a Chinese pagoda and all the elements.
12:57This window lacing, for example, is exactly the same lacing as it is in the Forbidden City.
13:03Oh wow. Can we take a look around?
13:05Yes, follow me.
13:09Since its creation in 1926, the Paris Pagoda has gone from private residence to art gallery,
13:15event space, and exclusive film and photography location.
13:21Look at this. This is incredible.
13:23It is. It is still amazing, even after 100 years. It's almost modern, I feel.
13:37So the whole building was used to showcase Chinese and Asian art.
13:41And lacquer walls or paravans were a big feature, the big part of Asian art,
13:48and it was unique. It had never been seen in France before.
13:55C.T. Lou is a controversial figure.
13:58He's been accused of illegally taking ancient artifacts from China
14:02at a time of political instability.
14:04But he's also been credited with making Chinese art even more popular
14:08by introducing the Western world to aesthetics they'd never seen before.
14:15I think the sheer logistic of this business is what fascinates me.
14:20And just to emphasize this, I want to show you something.
14:23Look what I found during the renovation.
14:25Oh wow, so this is a cupboard.
14:26It's a cupboard with a little trap here.
14:29And this is his telephone.
14:31Sweet! You can take your calls.
14:33So Asian art dealings in the beginning of the last century,
14:36from a little telephone hidden in a wall cabinet.
14:39Wow! Does it still work?
14:42Yes, it's a direct line to the Forbidden City, of course.
14:47What was the legacy of C.T. Lou?
14:49I think C.T. Lou helped moving away from chinoiserie to real Chinese antiques
14:57and to help the Western world recognizing the craftsmanship
15:02and the artistic genius of Chinese people.
15:05In their oldest form.
15:12Established in 1898, the Czernuski Asian Art Museum in Paris
15:17is home to one of Europe's largest collections of real Chinese art,
15:21spanning from antiquity to the modern era.
15:25If there was one thing to remember about Chinese art,
15:28it's that depending on the places where you go
15:32and the centuries when the pieces were produced,
15:36it's not exactly the same kind of culture.
15:39China has evolved, has changed.
15:41So it's very hard to define Chinese art.
15:44Yes, it is.
15:45In fact, you should always use the plural, Chinese arts.
15:48And when you're talking about Chinese arts,
15:51you should define what kind of art you are talking about.
15:55So how were all of these artworks received by the French people at the time?
15:59The decorative arts were fascinating in some way
16:04by the way they were made, which required a lot of work.
16:08And it's very obvious on this kind of croissant there,
16:11because what you have there is a vase which is made out of a metal core.
16:17These are all the golden designs that you have there.
16:20So intricate.
16:21Who would something like this have been made for?
16:23Obviously for the aristocracy of the court,
16:27because this kind of technique is very expensive,
16:30even on smaller objects.
16:33So when it's something of this size,
16:35it's made for people who have a lot of money.
16:41Croissant is an ancient art form that in this case began its life in Europe
16:46and then travelled to China along the Silk Road in the 1400s.
16:51There, the intricate craft saw significant development
16:54to become the iconic Chinese style we would recognise today.
17:12It's a long process. It's an expensive process.
17:15You have to bend the wire,
17:18so you have these empty cells.
17:20Then you fill these empty cells, each one with a different colour.
17:23I think Croissant also gives a good example of the exchange of technology
17:28that came from west to east, and came back from east to west.
17:39On the north-eastern border of France is the small town of Longueuil.
17:44Famous for a particular type of ceramics
17:46that has become renowned here over the past century,
17:49a style that Jacques Differe was introduced to from a young age.
18:14JACQUES DIFFERE, CROISSANT MANUFACTURER, LONGUEUIL
18:16JACQUES DIFFERE, CROISSANT MANUFACTURER, LONGUEUIL
18:40Throughout his career, Jacques has been pioneering a style of Longueuil croissant.
18:47We're going to the Museum of Manufacturing.
18:51It's a private museum with unoccupied pieces.
18:59The work on display in Jacques' personal museum
19:02presents a clear vision of his cultural influences,
19:06with a special relationship at its heart.
19:11This is the influence of China,
19:14where we will recognise the dragon.
19:17Jacques, we've been learning about croissant,
19:19but it's made with metal, isn't it?
19:21This looks a bit different. Is this croissant?
19:24These are extremely subtle differences,
19:28not always very easy to understand.
19:30Here we have emos that look like Chinese croissant emos,
19:36but which are emos from Longueuil.
19:39This means that we have a Chinese style,
19:44a Chinese influence and a Western technology,
19:48a French technology.
19:50And what are we going to do at that moment?
19:52That's it.
19:59For the past 47 years,
20:01Jacques has been producing and selling Longueuil croissant
20:05here on site, with the help of his small expert team.
20:10Wow!
20:21Great, sounds great.
20:32Just like the chinoiserie originators,
20:34Jacques draws inspiration
20:36from an historic archive of Chinese designs.
21:07OK, I will try.
21:09Thank you!
21:16So what are the differences between this and cloisonné?
21:37This is the big moment of colour.
21:39So we have to put it on quite thick.
22:01Oh, I can make this!
22:03This is what I made earlier.
22:07It's going to look like that, I promise.
22:17Jacques' art is a beautiful example
22:20of the evolving creative relationship between two cultures.
22:25At its essence, chinoiserie is about inspiration and fantasy,
22:30a romantic interpretation of Chinese art
22:35that is both unique and a celebration of its origins.
22:40What sort of role do you think art plays
22:42in the evolving relationship between the East and the West?
22:46That's a wonderful question.
22:48City Law once said,
22:50art has no frontiers.
22:52Art is travelling as a silent ambassador
22:55to spread the word about culture and civilisation.
22:59And I think that was true then, and it's still true now.
23:05We speak about chinoiserie today.
23:07You also have to understand
23:09that the European taste in the Chinese court
23:12was as important as the chinois taste in the French court.
23:29The human being can't do without his neighbour.
23:32Whether it's the neighbour next door
23:34or a neighbour very far away.
23:38Look at this window.
23:40It really symbolises the idea of the pagoda
23:43to bring together the East and the West.
23:46We have the impression to be in China,
23:49but when you look out of the window,
23:51you see the Haussmannian architecture.
23:53And the magic is, one doesn't disturb the other.
23:57In fact, it's complementing each other.