A rare Dutch 'Black Delft' figure of Budai Heshang, circa 1700-10

modelled seated smoking a pipe in his left hand, his right hand resting on his raised knee, wearing a cloak painted in blue, green, iron-red and ochre with dragons spouting foliate scrolls,

Art Céramique Ancien Nicolier, Paris.

Christine Lahaussois, Delft - Faïence, Paris, 2008, pp. 126-127, fig. 2; 
Robert D. Aronson, Dutch Delftware, Sur la table, Amsterdam, 2016, pp. 36-69, mentioned.

Related literature
Jacob Stodel, The Splendour of Dutch Delftware, exh. cat., London, 1993, p. 36, no. 20 for a related model;
C. J. A. Jörg, Oosters porselein, Delfts aardewerk, Groningen, 1983, p. 143, no. 142, for a related model.

In very good condition. Less than typical glaze flaking to extremities only.
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Black Delft is amongst the rarest of Delftware to survive, with approximately less than seventy pieces recorded. The colour was extremely difficult to achieve and as such it is considered that many factories simply did not attempt to produce it, or were not successful.

The model is taken from a 17th century Dehua blanc de chine original, an example is in the Metropolitan museum of Art, New York, acc. no. 32.100.422. The closest comparables to the present lot are two 'black delft' figures picked out in colours illustrated by Aronson, op. cit., no. 15., one of which is marked iVP 160, which the author suggests could be connected to other marks used by the De Metaale Pot factory. Equally rare, models are known in blue and white; one illustrated by Jörg, op. cit, no. 142, differing slightly holding an orb rather than a pipe is marked 'VE', and another holding a pipe and teabowl and saucer is marked AK for Adriaensz Kocx of the De Grieksche A (The Greek A) factory, Stodel, op. cit., no. 20.

The model was also produced in European porcelain, a close comparable in Cozzi hard-paste is in the Metropolitan Museum, acc. no. 1974.28.120.