Blue and White Lotus Headrest

To keep her elaborate hairstyle intact while sleeping, a well-to-do Qing-dynasty woman would use a rigid headrest or neck pillow to keep her head elevated. Whether functional or purely decorative, such headrests were crafted from a variety of materials and were often decorated with elaborate patterns or symbolic motifs.

This porcelain headrest is glazed in the blue-and-white style and shaped in the form of two children lying beneath a large lotus leaf. The boy and girl lay on their sides with heads resting on pillows of their own, the girl holding a lotus bud and the boy holding a lotus seed pod. This combination of motifs can be interpreted as a wish for many distinguished children. The lotus leaf top is curved to contour to the neck and etched with twin dragons soaring through clouds towards a flaming pearl. The base of the headrest is in the form of a footed rectangular platform, decorated in low relief with dragons and interlocking coins.

Additional Dimensions:
Lotus Leaf Top: 6"W x 4.5"D