Figure of a Seated Beauty

This graceful figure reclining against an armrest is thought to represent a beauty or courtesan who may have enjoyed great popularity during the Kanbun era (1661–73). Her dignified composure conveys a sense of refined confidence. A similar pose is seen in contemporary paintings of beauties, suggesting that this porcelain sculpture was inspired by pictorial trends. The woman’s hair is arranged in the tokō style, and she wears a kosode robe patterned with auspicious motifs, under an opulent uchikake adorned with banana leaves, folding fans, and maple leaves. Although such figures were also collected within Japan, they gained popularity among European elites, who prized them as examples of Japanese export porcelain.