Dreaming of China – when 18th-century Sweden cast its gaze eastwards
Four unique Chinese still-life paintings from 1750 inspired Museum Director Mikael Ahlund and his colleagues to create an entire exhibition on the theme of China, which is now on display at Gustavianum. Photo: Sandra Gunnarsson
How did Swedes view China during the Age of Enlightenment? A new exhibition at Gustavianum sheds light on Sweden’s fascination with China in the 18th century. Through objects, images and historical perspectives, it depicts how Sweden came to view China as an ideal of both aesthetics and reason during the Enlightenment.
During the 18th century, China became a central point of reference in European intellectual debate. The exhibition now on display at Gustavianum highlights this through both texts and material expressions. Mikael Ahlund, Museum Director at Gustavianum, explains how, during this period, philosophers such as Voltaire described the country as a model of rational governance and social harmony, while others, such as Montesquieu, painted a contrasting picture.
Ahlund explains that the positive view persisted longer in Sweden than in many other European countries, which was also reflected in Gustav III’s interest in China and its agriculture.
An example of the fascination with the country to the east during the 18th century can be seen in the Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm, which has its own series of portraits in the exhibition.
The Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm Palace was built for Queen Lovisa Ulrika. The exhibition features a series of portraits of the palace. Photo: Sandra Gunnarsson
In the 18th century, it was common for prominent figures in Sweden to order Chinese porcelain with their own decorations and names. Photo: Sandra Gunnarsson
The exhibition centres around four Chinese still-life paintings from the 1750s that have now been restored. The paintings depict how to live a good life as a civil servant in China and show various objects that one should surround oneself with. These include incense, books, games, flowers and musical instruments.
“These paintings were previously on display at Linnaeus’ Hammarby, and it is very exciting to be able to show them. They were created by Chinese artists but feature Western elements, such as depth perspective and shading. The still life paintings are very remarkable and unique, and only a few examples of this pictorial tradition have been preserved,” says Mikael Ahlund.
One of the Chinese paintings previously on display at Linnaeus’ Hammarby. It depicts how to live a good life as a civil servant in China. Photo: Gustavianum
Part of the exhibition is devoted to the Swedish East India Company, whose trade with China starting in the 1730s made Gothenburg a hub for trade. Trade goods and documents show how products such as tea, porcelain and silk reached Sweden. Tea was the most profitable import and an important part of global trade. Science was also drawn into the exchange. Carl Linnaeus used the trade routes to send his disciples out to collect plants and knowledge. In connection with this, Linnaeus took the opportunity to order a dinner service decorated with the flower Linnaea borealis. When initially delivered, the flowers had been painted red instead of pink, a misunderstanding that highlights the difference in pictorial tradition and interpretation.
“The Linnaea flowers were supposed to be light pink. So, it was a disappointment that they were delivered red. The solution was to simply order a new set, with pink Linnaea blooms. A few years later, a new version arrived from China, and Linnaeus finally had the pink flowers on his dishes.”
Overall, the exhibition shows how we in Europe have used China as a mirror for our own dreams and ideas. This cultural encounter was not limited to the exchange of goods, but also extended to interpretations of images, ideas and meaning. This is a temporary exhibition on view at Gustavianum between 24 January and 24 May.
This exhibition has been made possible through contributions from the Beijer Foundation and the Torsten Söderberg Foundation.
Fatemeh Khudadadi
When Linnaeus ordered his dinner service from China, the colours were wrong. So, he had to order a new set. Both sets are on display as part of the exhibition. Photo: Fatemeh Khudadadi