Chinese couple in a group 1750 - 1760

This porcelain sculpture of a Chinese couple was made by the Saint James’s Factory in France, sometime in the mid-18th century. It is an example of European ‘chinoiserie,’ in which Chinese motifs were blended with European aesthetics. Porcelain like this was incredibly expensive, and thus a direct expression of wealth. It was created through the careful manipulation of clay, shaped and fired at high temperatures. Its smooth, white surface was then painted with colorful enamels, demonstrating the skill of the artists involved. Although this sculpture is small, it represents a grand story of global trade. The Saint James’s Factory was among the first to replicate Chinese porcelain. This was at a time when the secrets of its manufacture were highly prized, and closely guarded. The immense amount of work that went into producing this piece would have been invisible to the consumers, who enjoyed it as a display of their sophisticated taste. It’s a reminder that objects like these, though beautiful, also embody the social and economic systems that brought them into being.