Plate decorated with Japanese Kakiemon-inspired scene with twisted dragon

Art Historical Context

This elegant plate, crafted around 1752 by the Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory in Britain, exemplifies the era’s fascination with East Asian aesthetics. Produced during the Raised Anchor Period, it features a lively scene inspired by Japanese Kakiemon porcelain, complete with a twisting dragon and tigers rendered in delicate overglaze enamels. The soft-paste porcelain body, with its slightly irregular nine-inch diameter, highlights the technical challenges European makers faced while striving to replicate the translucent quality of Asian wares. Chelsea’s artisans drew directly from imported Japanese designs, blending them with British tastes during a time when chinoiserie motifs flourished across Europe. The factory, one of England’s earliest successful porcelain producers, used soft-paste formulas that allowed for vibrant colors and intricate details, making pieces like this both functional and collectible. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2018, the plate reflects the lively cultural exchange between Britain and Asia in the mid-eighteenth century.

About the Artist

Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory · 1744–1784

**Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory** The Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory, Britain's pioneering porcelain enterprise, was founded around 1743 in Chelsea, London, by two Huguenot silversmiths: Nicholas Sprimont from Liège and Charles Gouyn. Sprimont, trained in Paris as a goldsmith before immigrating to England, brought his expertise in luxury metalwork to the venture, while Gouyn handled early sales th...