Chinese couple as incense containers 1735 - 1750

Editor: So, we’re looking at a porcelain sculpture, or rather, a pair of sculptures: “Chinese couple as incense containers," dating back to 1735-1750. They're currently housed in the Met. The detail is striking, but there’s something almost…whimsical about them. What stands out to you when you look at these figures? Curator: Whimsical is a fantastic way to describe them. To me, these pieces are little porcelain daydreams, reflecting 18th-century European fantasies about the East. You know, a bit like a Venetian mask reflecting a carnival. Look closely; notice how the artist, Johann Friedrich Eberlein, has rendered these figures in Rococo style, all flowing lines and playful ornamentation? And incense containers, imagine filling them with aromatic smoke that would dance around these characters and fill the room. Does this Rococo 'orientalism' come across to you, as it does to me? Editor: Definitely. The hats and the poses… it's more like a costume party version of China than a real glimpse into the culture. They're holding little animals too. How do the animals figure into the piece? Curator: Good eye. The monkey and the parrot are integral, I feel. Consider the European fascination with exotic pets and, in the same way, this representation may signal a deeper desire for luxury and novelty, but with a dose of "chinoiserie"—a visual language of decoration popular then. They're both beautifully detailed too; one perches so properly in its lady's hands; the other snuggles at his master's side. It makes you think: what would it have been like to own them? Editor: It gives a new meaning to "exotic". The sculpture pair offers such an insight into 18th-century fascinations! Curator: Absolutely! I can still get happily lost looking at all of the tiny flourishes that these artists achieved almost 300 years ago. The sculptures are just exquisite conversation starters.