Vintage Chinese Porcelain Figural Pillow, Hand-Painted Boy, 1978

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This outstanding, vintage mid 20th century piece is a traditional Chinese porcelain figural pillow (often historically referred to as an … Read more This outstanding, vintage mid 20th century piece is a traditional Chinese porcelain figural pillow (often historically referred to as an "opium pillow" or "boy pillow") modeled in the shape of a smiling, reclining palace boy.
It is hand-painted in vibrant polychrome and Famille Rose or Wucai style enamels, featuring an orange tunic and a black floral-patterned vest resting atop an ornate decorative pillow base.

In Chinese culture, the imagery of a plump, happy boy represents, longevity, blessings, fertility, and good fortune, and porcelain pillows were historically believed to cool the head and brighten the eyes. See less