Porcelain figural candlestick with a Chinese figure in chinoiserie – French or German, second half of the 19th century

Porcelain figural candlestick with a Chinese figure – chinoiserie, 19th century

A charming porcelain figural candlestick in the chinoiserie style: a seated Chinese figure with a long moustache, tall hat and a red jewel on his forehead, clasping an acanthus stem with both hands that carries the candle holder. He sits on a tasselled cushion on a rococo base with four scroll feet. The decoration is hand-painted in pink, red, blue and brown, with gilt accents on the edges and the candle cup. Figural candlesticks like this were made in French (Vieux Paris) and German porcelain factories in the second half of the 19th century, following the 18th-century chinoiserie of Meissen and Mennecy.

Why we chose this piece

The face of this Chinese figure was painted with real delight: rosy cheeks, a moustache that curls over his shoulder and a mischievous look. It is a piece that immediately tells a story and shows how 19th-century Europe looked at the Far East.

Style and interior

This candlestick suits a mantelpiece, a secretaire or a display cabinet in a classic, romantic or eclectic interior, and goes well with Chinese porcelain, blue-and-white pottery or a collection of curiosities. Even without a candle it is an elegant figurine.

Dimensions: height 25 cm, width 12.4 cm, depth 9.5 cm
Material: porcelain, hand-painted in polychrome and gold
Style: chinoiserie, rococo revival
Period: second half of the 19th century
Origin: France or Germany
Quantity: 1
Condition: used condition. A hole was later drilled in the underside (photo 10); a hairline crack runs from this hole across the base, with rust stains around the hole. The gilding is worn in places on the edges, the base and the candle cup, and the unglazed foot rim has a few small chips. The figure itself, the face and the candle holder are intact, without restorations.
Price:
€ 95

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