Oiran Courtesan Figurine

This lovely figurine of an Oiran, or Green Mansion Girl (a Chinese courtesan similar to a Japanese Geisha), is a fine example of mid-century Blanc de Chine porcelain. Also called Dehua porcelain, it is made from the white clay, kaolin, in the Chinese coastal town of Dehua in central Fujian province. The tradition of Dehua pottery dates back to the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279). Blanc de Chine first entered the European market during the eighteenth century. Incised "Made in China" on the base. Measures approximately 8 1/2 inches tall. 

Green Mansion Girls were elite courtesans selected on a very strict basis based more on talent than appearance. These elite courtesans had to have mastered at least two of these skills: 1) playing a musical instrument; 2) playing chess, 3) calligraphy, and 4) painting. Green Mansion Girls also needed to be widely read, able to compose poems and songs, and carry out intelligent conversations. An Oiran is the top-tier courtesan of the elite Green Mansion Girls. 

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