Brighton: Chinese pagodas return to Royal Pavilion after restoration

More than 2,000 hours were spent on restoring the ornaments by Brighton and Hove Museum’s object conservator Andy Thackray and his team over three years.

The pair of porcelain objects, which are over 2.5 metres tall, were made in Jingdezhen in China in around 1800 and will be on display for the first time since 1975.

They were made specifically for export to Europe and are extremely fragile. Over time they suffered considerable damage and losses.

It took three years to restore the pagodas (Image: David McHugh)

Although not original to the Pavilion, they are remarkably similar to the six pagodas acquired for George IV and placed in the Music Room of the Royal Pavilion in about 1818. fewer than 20 porcelain pagodas of this type and size are known in the UK, including the ones now in the Royal Collection that were originally in the Royal Pavilion.

The pagodas were purchased in 1950 by the Royal Pavilion Committee, with the help of the National Art Collections Fund, from art historian, curator and broadcaster Sir Kenneth Clark (1903-1983). He is perhaps best remembered for writing and presenting the 1969 BBC Television series Civilisation.

It is not known where or when he acquired them but they were in his possession since at least 1935 when he lent them to the International Exhibition of Chinese Art at the Royal Academy in London.

After their purchase they were on display in the Royal Pavilion for several decades but have been in storage waiting on restoration since the 1990s.

The pagodas are over 2.5 metres tall (Image: David McHugh)

Each pagoda has ten hexagonal sections including the base, eight roof sections and a finial. They are made of soft-paste porcelain, with multi-coloured decorative glazes and striking details, such as dragons and painted landscapes. The porcelain is painted in underglaze blue, with famille rose enamels and gilding, typical of export porcelain. The lustre ornaments on each pagoda comprise 56 lions and 48 bells hanging from 48 fish.

Hedley Swain, CEO of Brighton and Hove Museums, said: "The restoration of these rare Chinese pagodas has been a true labour of love and dedication. Bringing these exquisite pieces back to their former glory and unveiling them to the public for the first time in nearly 50 years is a testament to the skill and passion of our conservation team.

“These pagodas not only represent a significant cultural connection between East and West but also stand as symbols of the enduring beauty of art and craftsmanship across centuries. We hope visitors will enjoy coming to see them in all their intricate beauty within the Music Room at the Royal Pavilion for many years to come."