Plate XIV—Chinese Dragondetails

A DRINKING vessel preserved in the South Kensington Museum is beautified by an ornament which sets forth the Chinese notion of an eclipse; a golden ball represents the sphere about to be lost in darkness, a number of clouds float in mid air, and a monster dragon advances with the view of swallowing the golden orb; here we have a subject—a thought—an idea, shrouded in ornament or set forth by decorative forms,* and that in a manner alike beautiful and impressive, for the dragon is all that could be desired, being vigorous, energetic, grotesque, and ornamental; but the success of the composition, great as it is, does not concern us at present, as our attention must fix itself upon the fact that a subject is portrayed by ornamental characters, and upon the agencies employed to bring about this end. (Plate XIV.)

* We could not regard the dragon as a piece of ornament were it a representation of any existing creature, but as it is a mere ornamental animal, we are justified in so doing.

(p. 165)