A blanc de Chine figure of Guanyin and child, 17th-18th century | 十七至十八世紀 德化窰送子觀音坐像

The Blanc-de-Chine kilns of Dehua in Quanzhou, Fujian, made Guanyin figures for the Chinese and for a global market from the Ming (1368-1644) through the Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The present example bears the potter's mark of He Chaozong of the late Ming dynasty, the most celebrated master potter of Dehua.

According to the Gazetteer of Quanzhou Prefecture of 1763, He Chaozong excelled in creating Buddhist figures and these were “transmitted and treasured [everywhere] under heaven”. Although He Chaozong is known to have been active during the late Ming dynasty, the exact life dates of this master potter remain debated.

Related Blanc-de-Chine figures of Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara) impressed with a He Chaozong mark include an example sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 1st June 2017, lot 593. Compare also two Blanc-de-Chine Guanyin with He Chaozong impressed marks, from the collection of Vilhelm Meyer (1878-1935), sold in our London rooms, 10th May 2017, lots 105 and 107. 

A similarly modelled Blanc-de-Chine Guanyin and child, of a larger size and incised with a two characters 'He Chao' mark within a double-gourd, attributed to 'the unknown Ho', is illustrated in P.J. Donnelly, Blanc de Chine, Faber and Faber, London, 1969, Pl. 154B. 

The Bayi Jing inscription found on the book by her side refers to the White-Robed Guanyin which was of the most celebrated forms of Guanyin during the 17th and 18th century. According to the Chinese tradition, the Bodhisattva of compassion sits on the rocky island of Putuo (Potalaka), believed to be located offshore from Ningbo, in Zhejiang Province.