About

In the reign of Charles II, Ham House famously underwent a substantial refurbishment under the supervision of the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale. During this period of improvement, the Lauderdales filled their interiors with glimmering Chinese and Japanese lacquer, porcelain, and early examples of British japanning (furnishings that imitated East Asian lacquer). Drawing on new research into the Ham House collection, this talk will trace the journey of these items from Chinese and Japanese workshops via the developing 'India' shops of Restoration London into the courtly interiors of late Stuart Ham House. Using examples of surviving objects, this talk will connect the Ham House collection to a  Restoration-era fascination with the societies of China and Japan.