Jewelry box; China, Qing dynasty, 19th century.

Jewelry box; China, Qing dynasty, 19th century.
Tortoiseshell.
Measurements: 3 x 6 x 6 cm.
Circular carved tortoiseshell jewelry box with geometric ornamentation. 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 Confucian emphasis on cultivation nurtured a lively and creative set of cultural fields. uring 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.