Begonia and lotus frame with red lychee pattern glass window (Late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period)Guangzhou Museum
Five-tone glass, three-sided moon, hear the tide's song in Zhuhai dune
Guangzhou is an ancient Oriental port that boasts an unbroken trading history exceeding 2,200 years, and it has perpetually stood at the forefront of global convergence and integration. During the late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China periods, Guangzhou craftsmen combined Western colored-glassmaking techniques with traditional Chinese craftsmanship. They used a variety of techniques to create a wide range of colorful glass pieces.
They combined these with a rich history of ever-changing wood-carving techniques to create a distinctive decorative element of regional Lingnan architecture with distinct characteristics of Guangzhou folk culture: Guangzhou-style colored-glass windows. They are created by embedding colored glass into traditional Chinese wooden window frames, also known as Manchuria windows. This shines through in Guangzhou's distinctive wares.
Chinese-swastika, flower-knot, and lantern-shaped brocade patterns, with blue flower, bird, and landscape motifs in the middle (left side) (Late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period)Guangzhou Museum
These creations stand as a testament to the city's characteristics as a vibrant window of the south, open to the world. The Guangzhou Museum has selected over 400 exquisite pieces of Guangzhou-style colored-glass windows. The collection showcases Guangzhou's urban culture and humanistic spirit amidst the cultural fusion of East and West, through an in-depth examination of the structure of wooden window frames, design styles and the types and evolution of glass craftsmanship.
Upholding Tradition: Wooden Window Mullions with Chinese Charm
The structure of Guangzhou-style colored-glass windows draws inspiration from classic Chinese window designs, while incorporating captivating elements reminiscent of Manchu residential windows. Their wooden mullions—the elements that connect and secure the colorful blocks within the window grid—are meticulously crafted in a distinctly Chinese style. The mullions resemble intricate skeletons with various auspicious patterns reflecting people's aspirations for beauty.
Glass window with fangsheng patterns and nested square frames (Late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period)Guangzhou Museum
Over time, the styles of Guangzhou-style colored-glass window mullions have partially incorporated Western elements, resulting in infinite variations. The window features a fangsheng-patterned frame that connects the four corners, with a square opening in the center. The window's main body is made of straight mullions, which are typical of Guangzhou-style colored-glass windows with a straight subframe design.
Glass window with hook-shaped cloud patterns (Late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period)Guangzhou Museum
The captivating design of this Guangzhou-style colored-glass window features a round piece of glass as its focal point, framed by interlocking hook-shaped-cloud mullions. In the middle of the round piece of glass are four auspicious ruyi-shaped motifs. The subframe, constructed of gently curved mullions, exemplifies the curved-subframe style characteristic of Guangzhou windows.
The inner frame of the left window is designed with two different four-piece ruyi patterns: four open-mouthed ruyi-shaped flower petals at the top, and four closed-mouthed petals at the bottom. It forms a harmonious composition that, when combined with clear glass panels, exudes elegance and grace.
The right window extends the foundation of these two four-piece ruyi patterns by dividing the lower four closed-mouthed petals into unequal halves and moving one half to the top. There are four open-mouthed ruyi-shaped petals in the middle section. This unusual and charming window structure, made up of a variety of similar elements, is one of a kind.
Glass window with square inner frame surrounded by begonia and endless-knot patterns (Late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period)Guangzhou Museum
The inner frame of this window is formed of four squares connecting to the four corners of a larger square, with an external, begonia-shaped piece decorated with endless-knot cardamom flowers, within a curved subframe design. The begonia—whose Chinese name is pronounced Haitang—is traditionally an auspicious pattern, because "tang" sounds like the word for "hall," which represents wealth and peace.
Glass window with an inner frame in the shape of the Chinese character "jing" (Late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period)Guangzhou Museum
This window has an inner frame with fangsheng mullions in the four corners and a begonia-shaped piece in the middle, within a straight subframe design. A fangsheng was originally a type of women's hair accessory, consisting of two overlapping diamond-shaped pieces. The pattern later became widely used in clothing, furniture, architectural components, and other things. It became an auspicious pattern in Chinese culture, symbolizing two hearts united, or excellence.
Taking Root in Tradition: The Allure of Colorful Glass
The Qing Dynasty witnessed Guangzhou's rise as southern China's hub for glass craftsmanship and trade. This flourishing trade brought with it a continuous influx of European glass, which in turn inspired the unique Guangzhou-style colored-glass windows. Guangzhou-style colored-glass windows evolved from featuring only single-colored glass to incorporating multi-layered colored-glass paintings.
Pineapple-slice glass window with a knot-style inner frame, surrounded by rolling grass and begonia patterns (Late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period)Guangzhou Museum
The introduction of advanced glasswork techniques on layered colored glass marked a turning point. Guangzhou artisans embraced these methods and skillfully blended them with their own heritage. This fusion transformed the windows' thematic repertoire. Once dominated by Western floral patterns, they now incorporated elements of traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy.
The central begonia motif of this window is covered in red pineapple slices.
This window contains yellow, blue, green, and transparent glass pieces. The yellow, blue, and green glass pieces are all solid colors with no patterns, while the transparent glass has a unique frosted finish with floral patterns.
Semicircular door-head window with a baoxiang-flower inner frame filled with different color glass pieces (Late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period)Guangzhou Museum
The semicircular window frame is in the shape of half a baoxiang flower. Curved mullions form the petals and center of the flower, and are filled with red and yellow glass, while blue and green glass pieces from the background.
Glass window with an antique-pattern inner frame filled with different color glass pieces (Late Qing Dynasty and Republic of China period)Guangzhou Museum
This window frame has an "antique-pattern" inner frame that is embedded with pieces of one- and two-tone blue, red, yellow, and green glass to form the shapes of vessels such as vases and pots. This piece is one of a set of two, each with a different style that complements the other.
The term antique refers to ancient objects depicted in Emperor Huizong's 30-volume work, Xuanhe Antique Painting, produced during the Song Dynasty. In later generations, patterns imitating ancient vessels such as vases, tripods, and censers, as well as scrolls, ruyi scepters, and jade, were referred to as antique patterns. They became classic decorative motifs on Chinese antique crafts, symbolizing the fusion of past and present, and advocating elegance.
A defining characteristic of Guangzhou-style colored-glass windows is their vibrant flat-glass inlay paintings. The advent and refinement of etching technology further expanded the artistic possibilities. Scenes reminiscent of literati paintings—landscapes, birds and flowers, and classic motifs like plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum—became popular themes. These intricate details provided a window into the owner's moral compass and aesthetic preferences. This set of two—one painted with birds and flowers, and the other with a landscape—is typical of literati-painting-themed windows.
