Two types of pagoda figures were produced in the early years of Meissen in both Böttger stoneware and Böttger porcelain. The present example appears more detailed than its porcelain counterpart where the glaze rather disguises the definition and the polishing of the present example heightens the detail.

These figures were inspried by the Orient but are not exact copies of particular porcelain examples, it is possible that they were inspired by soapstones found in Augustus the Strong's collection. Another source of inspiration for this model is perhaps the series of engravings by Joan Nienhof, see Bilder aus China, 1655-1657 reprint ed. Nördlingen 1985. Like the Chinese examples the Meissen pagodas served as incense burners, the smoke being allowed to escape through the open mouth and ears.

See also Mary Campbell Gristina, op. cit., p. 82, no. 16 for an unpolished example where she notes that ten stoneware pagodas were listed in the 1779 Dresden inventories, three of which are still in Dresden including an unpolished example see Willi Goder et al., no. 210