A FINE PAIR OF FAMILLE ROSE ELEGANT STANDING LADIES CANDLE HOLDERS Qianlong period, circa 1750 The unusually large mirror-image-figures of standing smiling ladies each wearing a lime-green-ground robe enriched with flowers on a cracked-ice ground over an iron-red underskirt, the hair in a high front-curling chignon and black-enameled on the biscuit, each holding an iron-red flaring archaistic-style gu vase serving as the candle holder. 16in (40.5cm) high (2). Footnotes: 乾隆時期 約1750年 粉彩描金綠衫仕女持觚燭臺一對 Published Cohen & Cohen, Baroque & Roll, Antwerp, 2015, pp. 52-53, no. 36 出版： 倫敦Cohen & Cohen古董行，《Baroque & Roll》，安特衛普，2015年，頁52-53年，圖版編號36 See lot 19 for a similar fine and rare pair of standing figures. It has been suggested that these well- matched pairs of figures, modelled in mirror image and clearly intended to be displayed as a pair rather than singly or in groups, were probably used in 18th century Europe as table decoration, forming part of a large 'surtout de table', a large arrangement of porcelain figures grouped appropriately on an ormolu and mirror-glass flat base, which provided a very striking decorative feature at the center of a long dining table. However, they are physically much larger than most European porcelain figures of the time which are believed to have amused guests at table, like groups of street vendors, Commedia del'Arte actors or German coal miners. It seems much more credible that they stood on wall brackets, a mantelpiece or a large piece of furniture, designed to hold candles during an evening event (when candles were required) such as dinner. If they do have any European antecedents, candle holders of this kind have cultural references more probably in earlier post-Renaissance silver-gilt and gold candlesticks formed as human figures, made in German cities such as Augsburg. References: Cohen & Motley, 2008, p. 102, no. 5.3, a pair with green robes; Williamson, 1970, pl. LIX, a single figure.