Pictures of Tilling and Weaving: (Re)interpreting the Chinese Wallpaper at Harewood House

In this talk, Louise Atkinson will consider the history and significance of the Harewood Chinese wallpaper.

Chinese wallpaper is a feature of many country houses across the UK. Imported as a luxury item through the trade networks of the East India Company, it embodied the growing cultural and commercial exchange between China and Europe during the 18th century. The Chinese wallpaper in the East Bedroom at Harewood House is one such example, but unlike the majority of wallpapers which feature symbolic motifs of birds and flowers, the Harewood wallpaper is instead comprised of depictions of people planting rice, harvesting tea, weaving silk and making porcelain.

In this talk, Louise Atkinson will explore the rich history and cultural significance of the Harewood wallpaper imagery, from its origins in Chinese visual culture and re-emergence as an export product for European markets, to its relevance for Chinese-speaking communities in Leeds today. By combining academic research with community participation, the talk reveals the process behind a new, creative intervention at Harewood House, reimagining the Chinese wallpaper from a contemporary perspective.

About the speaker

Dr Louise Atkinson is a visual artist, researcher, and community facilitator, and is currently based at the University of Leeds as a Visiting Research Fellow. Her practice explores the relationship between art and ethnography, in which she employs a range of visual and digital media and techniques, including collage, animation, repeat pattern design, and augmented reality. Her work often incorporates processes of co-production and co-curation, creating new narratives with other people in response to existing archives, collections, and histories.

Find out about Louise’s latest project – If Walls Could Talk – which considers what the Chinese wallpaper at Harewood House means to Chinese-speaking communities and the wider Asian diaspora in Leeds today.

Book your place

This online talk is organised by the Wallpaper History Society.

Book your ticket here.

Image

Chinese wallpaper in the East Bedroom at Harewood House, including detail of decorating and glazing the fired bowls (right). Image credit: Harewood House Trust.