Pair of Meissen Perfume Burners, Circa 1735

An Extremely rare and fine Pair of Meissen Seated Chinamen Pastille Burners Modelled by J.F.Eberlein, both Chinese Sages modelled seated on brightly coloured voluminous rectangular cushions applied at the corners with gold tassels, raised up on silver shaped canted rectangular bases, he wearing a white robe with turquoise lining, painted with purple and iron red stylised florettes, his moustached and flesh tinted face inclined in conversation to a monkey held on his knee, to which he offers a sacred peach of immortality. She wearing a muticoloured lobed chinese pagoda shaped hat, yellow puce lined robes with sprays of oriental flowers, looking in wonder towards a Green Amazon Parrot, perched on her left hand. Both figures and animals with hidden apertures through which the perfumed scent rises.

Marks:   Blue Crossed Swords Mark to the underside interior of each group.

See Ludwig Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Sammlung Margarete und Franz Oppenheimer, Meissener Porzellan, no. 32.  The Chinaman sold at Christies 2 Mar 1992 lot 32, where it was noted that the present Chinese Lady, the pendant to this group was sold Christies Geneva 8th May 1989, lot 28. The colours should be noted as totally linked to each group, her hat and their vestments.

An Important pair in the Irwin Untermeyer Collection, The Metropolitan Museum New York, see Yvonne Hackenbroch, Meissen and other Continental Porcelain The Collection of Irwin Untermeyer, fig 25, pl. 19.

The Chinaman is clearly offering the monkey a peach of Immortality, to which it accepts thus becoming one of the 12 Immortals. This scene of great divinity and mystery is only enhanced by the illusion of the sweet perfumes that emanate from the models. The Chinese Lady heralds an exotic vision of Cathay in her flamboyantly coloured robes and her conversation with that most exotic of all birds, a speaking Parrot, again endorsing the spiritual and mystic qualities of these groups.