Lot Essay
The genre of individually signed carved porcelains developed in the early-nineteenth century; a few artists specialized and became well-known while others only produced bottles occasionally. Xiaotao is otherwise unrecorded, but in the early years of the evolution of this art form, artists who went on to become well-known under their own names originally used pseudonyms.
The shape suggests that the bottle dates to the Daoguang period. While the decoration is carved, the raised inscriptions on the reverse seem to have been achieved by applying liquid slip. The carving is extremely well executed and totally confident, proving the artist's potential in carving biscuit porcelain.
The shape suggests that the bottle dates to the Daoguang period. While the decoration is carved, the raised inscriptions on the reverse seem to have been achieved by applying liquid slip. The carving is extremely well executed and totally confident, proving the artist's potential in carving biscuit porcelain.