清十八世紀 德化白釉文昌坐像

seated holding a ruyi scepter in the left hand, wearing a hat and loose-fitting robes belted at the chest, with a rank badge carved with dragons, the edges with a floral border, the reverse with an incised mark reading Rui Chuan xin ji (Made by Rui Chuan)

The head has been off and reattached and there is loss to the tips of three fingers. There is a large firing crack to the back of the base. The head off the ruyi scepter has been made up.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

According to P.J Donnelly, Blanc-de-Chine: The Porcelain of Tehua in Fukien. New York, 1969, p. 169, Wenchang, the Daoist God of literature is thought to have lived in the Tang (618-906) or Jin (1115-1234) dynasties before he was subsequently deified. He was worshipped by scholars and would-be scholars hoping for fortuitous examination results.

See a similarly carved Dehua figure of Wenchang but seated on rockwork, illustrated in Rose Kerr and John Ayers, Blanc-de-Chine, Porcelain from Dehua, Singapore, 2002, no. 27.