Figure
ca. 1740-1760 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This pair of porcelain ladies have movable heads. The heads can swivel and nod because they are mounted on long counterbalanced stems. Each figure holds a ruyi sceptre in one hand and a red scarf in the other. Ruyi means 'as you wish', and in symbolic terms it represented good fortune. In general, figures of women were a popular type of Chinese export ware as they portrayed unfamiliar and therefore exotic features and dress styles.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 4 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Porcelain, painted in coloured enamels |
| Brief description | Pair of ladies, porcelain painted in famille rose enamels, China, ca. 1740-60 |
| Physical description | Pair of ladies, made of porcelain painted in famille rose enamels; with moveable heads mounted on long counterbalanced stems so that they can swivel and nod. Each holding a ruyi scepter in one hand and a red scarf in the other, on opposite sides. Finely moulded, and painted in detail of clothing, hats, and tinted faces. |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by C. N. Ades, in memory of his wife, Andrée Ades |
| Summary | This pair of porcelain ladies have movable heads. The heads can swivel and nod because they are mounted on long counterbalanced stems. Each figure holds a ruyi sceptre in one hand and a red scarf in the other. Ruyi means 'as you wish', and in symbolic terms it represented good fortune. In general, figures of women were a popular type of Chinese export ware as they portrayed unfamiliar and therefore exotic features and dress styles. |
| Bibliographic reference | Clunas, Craig, ed. Chinese exports art and design. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1987, figure 30. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.18 to C-1978 |
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| Record created | November 12, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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