Existing comment:
The Peacock Room in Blue and White
Late in the 1870s, Frederick Leyland filled the gilded shelves of the Peacock Room with his prized collection of blue-and-white Chinese porcelain. To recreate the room's appearance today, ceramics from the Freer Gallery's permanent collection -- and similar to Leyland's pieces from the Kangxi period (1662-1722) -- are displayed on the north (fireplace) and east (shutters) walls. New pieces in a "Kangxi style" were commissioned from a porcelain production center in Jingdezhen, China. Those ceramics adorn the south (peacock mural) and west (doors) walls. When seen together, the Chinese porcelains placed before the painted walls provide a glimpse into James McNeill Whistler's colorful vision of the Peacock Room. |