Studio: international art (63.1914/15)

Chinese Bird-Cages

ceremonial occasions
which enter so largely into
their social system.

It is not surprising,
therefore, that in such
articles of domestic use
as bird-cages the Chinese
craftsman should have
displayed his constructive
genius and instinct for
beautifying the objects of
daily use. How long the
custom of keeping song
birds in captivity, has
been in vogue in China we
do not know, but it is said
that in some of their
ancient pictures there are
representations of bird-
cages hanging in the
apartments of houses. The

several cages shown in the accompanying illustra- —that of Ch'ien Lung (i735-1796), a ruler who
tions belong, however, to a comparatively late period was noted as a connoisseur in matters of art. They

ch'ien lung bird-cages, the i irst made of ivory axd lacquered wood, the other ok bamboo and

lacquered wood