This standing figure of a young woman is probably a decorative item. It is a good example of the Dehua porcelain tradition that still continues today. This piece was made using the slip-cast technique, where liquid clay or slip is poured into a plaster mould. The technique was introduced in the early 20th century in order to speed up the mass production of porcelain.Dehua porcelain has a white body, consisting predominantly of porcelain stone ('baidunzi') with minute amounts of clay. This porcelain, fired in kilns, was produced as early as the 14th century. The production and quality of these wares peaked during the 17th century. Dehua, a district in Fujian province, is the production centre for white porcelain, which is known to the Chinese as 'zhuyoubai' ('pork-grease white') or 'xiangyabai' (ivory white), and to the Europeans, 'blanc de chine' (white porcelain).
