Dim.: 35 x 24 x 30 cm (excl. stand)

Naturalistically modelled as a boar’s head, this rare tureen showcases the refined craftsmanship of the Qianlong period, with finely incised bristles, expressive features, and delicate enamels lending both realism and charm. Inspired by European faience and commissioned for export, such whimsical yet sophisticated pieces were prized centrepieces at aristocratic banquets. When filled with hot soup, steam rising from the nostrils heightened the theatrical effect.

Animal-form tureens gained popularity in mid-18th century Europe, with examples in faience and soft-paste porcelain produced at Strasbourg, Palissy, Chelsea, and Höchst. The Chelsea auction of 1755 listed “a very curious tureen in the form of a boar’s head.” Chinese artisans responded to this demand with exquisite porcelain versions for the Western market.

Dutch East India Company records note an order of 25 boar’s head tureens in 1763, of which only 19 were shipped the following year before the line was deemed “too risky,” underscoring their rarity. 

Ref.: 
- Christie's New York, 26 January 2015, lot 143, for a near-identical example. (sold USD 52.500,00) (link)
- The Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA, accession number 1956-107-9a,b, for a closely related example. (link)

Provenace (by repute):
- A European private collection. 
- Acquired from Accorsi, Turin, Italy, ca. 1980.

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