Cultural Sculptures & Figurines
Figurines in Blanc de Chine.
Dehua porcelain — known in the West as Blanc de Chine — has been used for figure modelling since the Ming dynasty. Its low iron content lets the clay hold fine detail without collapsing in the kiln, which is why facial features and draped fabric survive the firing.
What the collection covers
- Hand-finished Dehua porcelain figurines
- Peking opera mask and face-changing figures, drawn from Sichuan opera tradition
- Small sculptural pieces for shelves, desks and display cabinets
How to look at them
Blanc de Chine is read by surface rather than colour: the glaze pools in the folds and catches light on the high points of a face. Place a figure where side light falls across it, not under a direct downlight.
