"Broken Dreams" Blue and White Porcelain Neck Pillow

We call this Qing-dynasty neck pillow “Broken Dreams” not for the restlessness one might experience with such a hard headrest but for the 19th-century restoration that enhances its age and character. Dealing with what could have been an irreparable crack, a resourceful restorer used iron closures to bring the head rest back to its original beauty and function. Neck pillows were popular among upper-class women who used them to protect their elaborate hairstyles by elevating the head during sleep. Executed in the classic blue-and-white style, the porcelain pillow is painted with finely rendered chrysanthemum flowers on a field of dreamy clouds.