Woman with a pipe
Unknown Artist
ca. 1760–80
Medium
Reverse-painted crown glass, imitation lacquer frame
Dimensions
Frame, confirmed: 20 1/2 × 15 5/8 × 1 1/8 in. (52.1 × 39.7 × 2.9 cm) Other (estimated object dimensions from frame): 18 1/4 × 13 1/4 in. (46.4 × 33.7 cm)
Classification
Glass-Painted
Culture
Chinese, for the European market
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Larry and Ann Burns Gift, in honor of Austin B. Chinn, 2022
Accession Number
2022.52
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting reverse-painted glass panel, created in China 1760–178 for export to Europe, captures a poised woman holding a pipe in a moment of quiet contemplation. Produced during the height of maritime trade between China and the West, such works blended Chinese craftsmanship with motifs tailored to European tastes, often evoking a sense of refined exoticism popular in 18th-century salons and cabinets of curiosity. The technique of reverse painting on crown glass—where pigments are meticulously applied to the back of the transparent surface—creates a glowing, jewel-like quality that preserves delicate details over time. Here, it is paired with an imitation lacquer frame, echoing the luxurious Asian lacquerware then fashionable across Europe. This fusion of media underscores the skilled adaptation of Chinese artisans to meet Western demand for novel decorative objects. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2022, the piece offers visitors a vivid window into global cultural exchange, where everyday subjects like a woman with a pipe became bridges between distant worlds.