Tyrus Wong's Tableware: Art For Dinner

Tyrus Wong, a Chinese-born American artist, created dinnerware for Winfield Pottery that was mass-marketed in department stores across the United States. Wong's dinnerware designs were inspired by Chinese Modern home decor, which became popular in the early postwar period. His ceramics featured flowing designs of figures and tranquil scenes in nature. Wong's work on the Disney film Bambi is well-known, but he also created dinnerware, greeting cards, and Christmas card designs. Over his career, Wong worked with a wide range of mediums and reached different audiences.

Tyrus Wong's work for Winfield Pottery

The dinnerware was created in the early post-war period and fit perfectly with the Chinese Modern style of home decor that was popular at the time. Wong's designs featured flowing figures and tranquil scenes in nature, inspired by traditional Chinese brushwork and landscape painting.

Wong's work for Winfield Pottery was just one aspect of his prolific career as an artist. He was also a painter, animator, calligrapher, muralist, ceramicist, lithographer, Hollywood sketch artist, and kite maker. He worked for Disney and Warner Bros., and his work included the iconic animated film Bambi, for which he was named a "Disney Legend" in 2001.

Wong's work has been celebrated and recognised through various awards and exhibitions. He continued to paint, sketch, and design ceramics well into his 90s, and his kites were featured in the short film "Flights of Fancy" in 1990.

Chinese Modern home decor

The home decor style known as "Chinese Modern" draws on traditional Chinese design elements while incorporating contemporary features and furnishings. Here are some tips for achieving a Chinese Modern aesthetic in your home, inspired by the work of Chinese-American artist Tyrus Wong, who is known for his dinnerware sets and other decorative arts.

Nature-inspired artwork and decorative screens are signature elements of Chinese Modern design. Tyrus Wong's dinnerware sets for Winfield Pottery featured calligraphic designs influenced by traditional Chinese brushwork and natural subjects. You can bring a similar aesthetic into your home by incorporating nature-inspired artwork, such as paintings or wall hangings, that evoke the beauty of the natural world.

Another key feature of Chinese Modern design is the use of warm, neutral colours and textured elements. In your home, consider using beige or earth tones for walls, with wood trim and textured furnishings to create a sophisticated yet inviting atmosphere. This colour palette pays homage to the earth element of the Chinese zodiac (Wu Xing), which is often represented in traditional Chinese design.

Chinese Modern design also often includes subtle references to auspicious symbols. For example, you can incorporate decorative details such as horns, lotus flowers, and small pots, which are all considered lucky in Chinese culture. These subtle nods to traditional symbolism add a layer of depth and cultural significance to your home decor.

Finally, Chinese Modern design often blends old and new, combining traditional and contemporary influences. For example, you can pair antique or vintage furniture with modern lighting fixtures or contemporary artwork. This mix of old and new creates a unique and refreshing aesthetic that honours the past while embracing the present.

Dinnerware designs inspired by Song dynasty art

Tyrus Wong was a Chinese-American artist who designed dinnerware for Winfield Pottery that was mass-marketed in department stores across the United States. Wong's work was inspired by his interpretation of the bold art of the Song dynasty.

The Song dynasty (960–1279 AD) was a culturally rich and sophisticated age for China, witnessing great advancements in the visual arts, music, literature, and philosophy. The dynasty is divided into two distinct periods: the Northern Song (960–1127) and the Southern Song (1127–1279). During the Song dynasty, Chinese painting reached a new level of sophistication, with landscape painting in particular gaining prominence.

Hanging Scroll Motifs

Inspired by the monumental hanging scrolls of the Song dynasty, dinnerware could feature intricate and detailed landscapes, with towering mountains, majestic rivers, and lush forests. These designs could be reminiscent of the works of Fan Kuan, Guo Xi, and Li Tang, who were masters of this art form.

Blue and Green Celadon Glazes

Song dynasty pottery, especially from the Northern Song period, is known for its subtle and elegant glazes. Dinnerware inspired by this era could feature simple forms with delicate blue and green celadon glazes, creating a sense of sophistication and natural grace.

Nature-Inspired Designs

Song dynasty artisans often incorporated elements from nature into their creations. Dinnerware designs could include motifs such as ripe melons, supple flower petals, ducks, geese, fish, rabbits, and deer. These motifs could be depicted in a realistic or stylised manner, capturing the beauty and elegance of the natural world.

Literati Painting Style

The literati painting style emerged during the Song dynasty and valued expressive brushwork over technical finesse. Dinnerware inspired by this style could feature loose and spontaneous paintings of landscapes, birds, and flowers, emphasising the artist's individual expression and moral character.

Imperial Court Themes

The imperial court of the Song dynasty valued classical rites and antiquities. Dinnerware designs could incorporate elegant and refined motifs inspired by courtly life, such as palace banquets, ceremonial celebrations, and the imperial family. This could include intricate details such as red curtains, standing screens, and gilt pots, reflecting the opulence of the era.

Winfield China of Pasadena, California

Tyrus Wong, born Wong Gen Yeo, was a Chinese-born American artist who became one of the most influential and celebrated Asian-American artists of the 20th century. He worked across a wide range of mediums, including painting, animation, calligraphy, ceramics, and film production illustration.

In the 1940s and 50s, Wong created dinnerware designs for Winfield China of Pasadena, California. This collaboration came about through a former classmate at the Otis Art Institute, who asked Wong if he would paint dinnerware for the company. The dinnerware designs were in the Chinese Modern style, which was becoming popular in American homes at the time. Wong's designs featured flowing figures and tranquil nature scenes.

The dinnerware sets were mass-marketed in department stores across the United States, contributing to Wong's legacy as a pioneering Chinese-American artist.

In recognition of his significant contributions to the arts, Wong received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Museum of Chinese in America and induction into the Disney Legends Hall of Fame.

Winfield Pottery's post-war style

Tyrus Wong, one of the most influential and celebrated Asian-American artists of the 20th century, designed dinnerware for Winfield Pottery in Pasadena, California, in the 1940s and 50s. This was facilitated by a former classmate at Otis Art Institute who went to work for Winfield Pottery and asked Wong if he would paint dinnerware for the company.

The dinnerware was mass-marketed in department stores across the United States and fit perfectly with the early post-war style of home decor called Chinese Modern. Wong's ceramics featured flowing designs of figures and tranquil scenes in nature.

Wong's work for Winfield Pottery was just one aspect of his prolific career, which included working as a greeting card designer, a film production illustrator for Warner Bros., and as a sketch artist for Disney.

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