From the 18th century, the European desire to acquire fans, screens, lacquer, porcelain and all kinds of objects and furniture from China, promoted a utopian relationship with the East.
In the 19th century there were workshops specialized in the production of manufactured items adapted to western taste. However, as they failed to cope with the strong demand, Europe began producing “Chinoiserie”: objects that mimicked the Chinese style. This wind-up toy, made in London at the end of the 19th
century, portrays a European vision of China. Britains Ltd. was a toy factory famous for its lead soldiers and wind-up toys. By rotating the umbrella, the left arm of the figure that used to hold a small paper fan (now lost) is activated.