Dehua White Porcelain Fu Bao Caishen Sculpture

Without polychrome color, the Fu Bao figure changes character. The white glaze leaves the expression, beard, ingot and carved throne to be read through shadow, giving the seated Caishen a quieter presence than the gold and red versions.

Religious figures have been part of Dehua's porcelain history for centuries. The British Museum preserves a dated 1610 Dehua figure long classified as Caishen, while its curatorial record also notes the historical overlap between God of Wealth and Guandi imagery. The present Fu Bao sculpture belongs to that continuing Dehua practice of giving familiar deities clarity through white porcelain.

Placed near natural side light, the clear glaze reveals the modelling gradually. It suits a restrained study, console, or home altar where the blessing of fortunate treasure can remain present without a vivid color palette. For a collector of Blanc de Chine, the appeal is equally material: face, beard, ingot, robe, and throne are all carried by one field of white glaze.

• Origin: Dehua, Fujian, China
• Material: White-glazed porcelain
• Figure: Seated Fu Bao Caishen holding a gold-colored ingot
• 8 in size: 19.5 cm H × 15.0 cm W × 13.0 cm D / 7.7 in H × 5.9 in W × 5.1 in D
• 10 in size: 24.5 cm H × 19.0 cm W × 16.5 cm D / 9.6 in H × 7.5 in W × 6.5 in D
• 12 in size: 32.7 cm H × 25.5 cm W × 22.0 cm D / 12.9 in H × 10.0 in W × 8.7 in D
• Dimensions are hand measured; slight variation is expected