Figure of european woman (Madame de Maintenon), China (Jingdezhen), Qing dynasty, Kangxi period, ca. 1700. Porcelain painted with overglaze enamels. Height: 22.6 cm female figure. Basil Ionides Bequest. Museum number: C.109-1963 © V&A Images.

Chinese porcelain figure of lady (Madame de Maintenon) in 18^th century European dress, decorated with mainly famille verte (green, yellow and black) enamel colours.

European prints and drawings were utilised as a source of designs for the manufacture of three-dimensional figures. This figure is recognised as Madame de Maintenon but there is no evidence for this association. The figure is more likely to have been copied from costume prints by the Bonnart Brothers in Paris around 1650-1670. Due to Chinese potter's unfamiliarity with European features the figure retains slightly Asian facial characteristics while her clothing appears caricatured. Despite her naively rendered form the figure was still considered as 'exotic' item and was very popular as a decorative piece in European homes.