An impressive Chinese blanc de chine figure of Kuan Yin, circa 1800 - 白瓷观音立像，约1800年代

An impressive Chinese blanc de chine figure of Kuan Yin, circa 1800

白瓷观音立像，约1800年代

the Goddess of Mercy modelled in typical style, standing in repose with the right hand upraised and the left holding a ritual vessel, her feet bare and set on a base of stylised lotus leaves, dressed in elaborate flowing robes set with strands of hanging beads, the folds of the cloth carefully and precisely rendered, the underrobe drawn together at the waist by a tasel belt naturalistically rendered, the head with elaborate hanging bead earrings and set with a diadem crown, the front facet with a figure of Buddha and the two side facets loosely in the form of ruyi lappets and inset with flower heads and beads, the reverse with two impressed marks, the upper in the shape of a double gourd and reading 'De Hua' and the lower a square reading 'Puji yuren' 'Virtue extends to all even fisherman', the foot unglazed and the interior of the figure glazed with clear signs of modelling

P.J.Donnelly Blanc de Chine 1969 discusses this mark and notes that it seems to be applied to pieces produced at around the beginning of the nineteenth century. This appears to be consistent with the paste of this figure, the finish of the interior and the glazing and detailed and precise modelling of the exterior surfaces.

此座白瓷观音像面相饱满，神情肃穆，观音裸足立于莲花座上，一手持宝瓶，一手作手印。观音身着长袍，臂膀搭有袍袖，长至足踝。观音头戴珠饰宝冠，冠饰精致，由宝珠、莲花、如意及花卉贯穿点缀，头冠中央有佛像，耳垂、上胸、双肩至足部均有珠链环绕，与头冠装饰相同。立像白釉温润，观音形象典重，袍纹刻划流利飘动，珠饰堆贴精美，整座观音立像富立体感。观音身背有 “德化” 及 “博及渔人” 印，底部无釉，内里施釉，并有手工捏塑痕迹

P.J.Donnelly 在 Blanc de Chine (<中国白瓷>) (1969年) 一文曾探讨，凡白瓷有 “德化” 及 “博及渔人” 印款，应成于19世纪早期, 但此说法须配合泥胎、釉色特征，及捏塑、刻划等工艺而言。