Chinese, Qing dynasty
(1644–1911)
Cup
early 19th century
yellow glass
2⅛ x 4 in
5.40 x 10.16 cm
Gift of the Estate of Mr. Zachary Taylor
90.167
Glassmaking in China was introduced by European missionaries through the port of Guangzhou. In 1696 Emperor Kangxi (r. 1662–1722) ordered that an imperial workshop be established under the supervision of a German missionary. Glassmaking developed rapidly thereafter, with the rise of production centers in Beijing, Zibo, and Suzhou. This small opaque cup, most likely the product of a Beijing workshop, was formed in a mold.