Pair of Chinese automaton groups. 18th century.

Pair of Chinese automata groups. 18th century.
Polychrome plaster and wood.
In glass and metal urn.
Measurements: 29 x 25,5 x 15 cm (urn).

Handmade sculptural sets made of polychrome plaster and carved wood, representing tavern scenes in China in the eighteenth century. The compositions show pairs of popular figures, probably peasants or artisans, gathered in taverns with checkered floors, drinking sake or rice wine in a relaxed atmosphere. Automaton mechanisms allow the movement of the figures' heads, bringing dynamism and realism to the representation. These pieces are part of the European orientalist taste of the 18th century, when the fascination for the exotic and picturesque of the Far East proliferated in the West, fueled by the commercial exchanges and cultural diplomacy of the time. In particular, these automata may have been produced both for the local Chinese market and (more likely) for export to Europe, where they were prized as objects of curiosity and decoration in cabinets, salons and private collections. The figures are dressed in traditional folk costumes of Manchu or Han inspiration: red coats with wide lapels around the neck, double-breasted shirts, sashes and bloomers. The treatment of the face and gestures is remarkably expressive: frowns, open mouths in conversation, slightly tilted heads, which accentuates the theatricality of the scene and reveals a plastic mastery oriented to visual narrative. The plinths and furniture are carved in wood, while the figures are made of plaster painted in bright colors.