Human world
Pair of imperial burners in the form of qilin
Asia traded in silk, cotton, spices and porcelain.
The trade in spices made a great deal of money. By the 16th century, merchants from Europe controlled the trade in South East Asia. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, they imported huge cargoes of porcelain and tea from China to Europe.
Europeans formed a picture of Asia from these goods.
Asia fascinated Europe. In the 18th century European designers combined Chinese, Japanese and Indian designs with Western styles to create a new fashion called 'chinoiserie'.
Sir Douglas Crawford collected some of the objects you see here in the 20th century. They show the continuing interest in Asia and Chinese art.