Rare Chinese pagodas return to Royal Pavilion after painstaking restoration
Museum conservation experts have returned two extremely rare Chinese pagodas in the Royal Pavilion after an intricate and painstaking period of restoration.
Brighton & Hove Museums staff took three years and meticulous care and skill to restore the splendid and colourful rare ornaments, which are over 2.5 metres tall.
The pair of magnificent porcelain objects were made in Jingdezhen [Jiangxi province, China] in ca. 1800 (Qing 大清 dynasty), and will be on display for the first time since 1975. They were made specifically for export to Europe and are extremely fragile. Over time they suffered considerable damage and losses.
Although not original to the Pavilion, they are remarkably similar to the six pagodas acquired for George IV and placed in the Music Room of the Royal Pavilion in c.1818. Only about eighteen porcelain pagodas of this type and size are known in the UK, including the ones now in the Royal Collection that were originally in the Royal Pavilion.
The pagodas were purchased in 1950 by the Royal Pavilion Committee (with the help of the National Art Collections Fund) from art historian, curator and broadcaster Sir Kenneth Clark (1903-1983). He is perhaps best remembered for writing and presenting the 1969 BBC Television series Civilisation.
It is not known where or when Clark acquired them, but they were in his possession since at least 1935, when he lent them to the groundbreaking International Exhibition of Chinese Art at the Royal Academy in London (1935 to 1936).
After their purchase they were on display in the Royal Pavilion for several decades but have been in storage waiting on restoration since the 1990s.
Each pagoda stands at approximately 260cm tall, has 10 hexagonal sections (including the base), eight roof sections, and a finial. They are made of soft-paste porcelain, with beautiful multi-coloured decorative glazes and striking details, such as dragons and painted landscapes. The porcelain is painted in underglaze blue, with famille rose enamels and gilding, typical of export porcelain. The lustre ornaments on each pagoda comprise 56 lions and 48 bells hanging from 48 fish.
The restoration of the pagodas was made possible by generous donations from patrons of Brighton & Hove Museums, the charitable trust which cares for five cultural institutions across Brighton & Hove including the Royal Pavilion.
Hedley Swain, CEO of Brighton & Hove Museums said:
“The restoration of these rare Chinese pagodas has been a true labour of love and dedication. Bringing these exquisite pieces back to their former glory, and unveiling them to the public for the first time in nearly 50 years, is a testament to the skill and passion of our conservation team.
“These pagodas not only represent a significant cultural connection between East and West but also stand as symbols of the enduring beauty of art and craftsmanship across centuries. We hope visitors will enjoy coming to see them in all their intricate beauty within the Music Room at the Royal Pavilion for many years to come.”
From 2021 until now, the pagodas have undergone significant restoration, in order to repair and replace the missing sections to their main tiers and to complete the set of lustre ornaments. The work has taken more than 2000 hours and has been carried out by our Object Conservator Andy Thackray and his team.
More information can be found on the full 3-year restoration story in our series of blogs.
