Rare Southern Song or Yuan Qingbai Figure of a Seated Lady

12th or 13th Century

Rare Southern Song or Yuan Qingbai Figure, Perhaps Raozhou Kilns, Jiangxi Province, 12th or 13th Century. This highly unusual figure of a lady looks similar to Sui (581-618) pottery in its graceful pose and elongated arms, however it is Qingbai type porcelain from the 13th century. This figure is mould made and made in more than one section. A Qingbai, but unglazed figure, is tentatively attributed to the Raozhou kilns and is illustrated in : Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, Volume Three ( Regina Krahl, Paradou Writing Ltd. ISBN 978095533570. London 2006) page 594, plate 1585.

See Below For More Photographs and References.

SOLD

Condition
Broken through the neck with an old crude repair, there is a small rusted iron staple to the back of the neck. The glaze is quite worn with the biscuit porcelain showing. A piece of kiln grit at the end of her left sleeve.
Size
Height 9.6 cm (3 3/4 inches).
Provenance
Old partial label to the back, British Antique Dealers Association. Robert McPherson Antiques purchased from Sotheby's Billingshurst 15th of November 1990 for £200, stock number 2782. Purchased by friend of many years, Frank Cowan, Patterson New York on the 15th of June 1991. Remains of my label "Ch'ing Pai 12th/13th Century, neck damaged" Frank Cowan's collection number EA4 9-15-91.
Stock number
27139
References
I have not seen another figure like this. A rather different Qingbai figure, depicting Guanyin with a date equivalent to 1251 is illustrated in : Dated Qingbai Ware of The Song and Yuan Dynasties (Various authors, Ching Leng Foundation 1998. ISBN 962-7502-45-6. 1998) page 79, plate 88. A Qingbai figure tentatively attributed to the Raozhou kilns is illustrated in : Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, Volume Three ( Regina Krahl, Paradou Writing Ltd. ISBN 978095533570. London 2006) page 594, plate 1585.

Photos

Information

Robert McPherson Antiques - Sold Archive - 22916

A Qingbai Porcelain Model of Guanyin, Probably a Kiln at Jingdezhen, Yuan Dynasty 1279-1368.

 

A Qingbai Porcelain Model of Guanyin, Probably a Kiln at Jingdezhen, Yuan Dynasty 1279-1368. SOLD Condition Repaired ; the head has been re-attached. There are some losses repaired, the end of her robe which is draped over her folded leg and the curl to the left emanating from the lotus leaves at the bottom. Size Height : 17.5 cm (7 1/2 inches) Stock number 22916 References For a similar Yuan Qingbai model of Guanyin from the Ian Wasserman collection which is also illustrated in Chinese and Annamese Ceramics Found in the Philippines and Indonesia (plate 24) see : Fine Oriental Ceramics and Works of Art, Sotheby`s London, 10th of July 1979, lot1 28.