Thomas Woodall (English, 1849-1926) and George Woodall (English, 1850-1925)
Glass carvers for Thomas Webb & Sons, Stourbridge, England
Vase in the Chinese Taste,
ca. 1885-90
Gift of the Mowbray Arch Society, 2001

At the tenth annual Art Purchase Dinner on December 6, the Mowbray Arch Society selected a superb 18-inch tall Woodall Vase in the Chinese Taste for acquisition to the Permanent Collection. Most of the cameo glass that Thomas and George Woodall designed and carved for Thomas Webb & Sons in Stourbridge, England, in the late 19th century, was considered to be in the classical revival style. However, this vase was inspired by Chinese polychrome porcelain from the region of Qianlong - the evidence of which lies in the beautifully carved buds, blossoms, and other flowers.

This piece is best understood as an extraordinary example of Chinoiserie, a term given to a fanciful western object that artfully combines and articulates Chinese motifs. Chinese Chippendale furniture of the 18th century is probably the class of Chinoiserie objects best known today. The Chinese produced cameo glass in the 18th and 19th centuries, but incorporated much brighter colors with less controlled carving. The English aesthetic depended on the opposite for its effect.