Chinese Blue and White Headrest with Guardian Lion, c. 1850

This square ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to prote...

This small ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to protect their elaborate hairstyles by elevating the head during slumber. This example dates to the late 20th century and is glazed in the blue-and-white style with a stencil-transfer design. Each side of the headrest has a quadrilobe cartouche framing two mythical fu lions playing with a brocade ball, a motif that evokes the idiom "may you and your descendant achieve high rank." A powerful and benevolent guardian, the fu lion (shizi) is the perfect force to protect against nightmares and bad energy. The playful scene is surrounded by a cracked ice pattern dotted with plum blossoms, symbols of winter and longevity. A geometric meander trims the corners and small bats frame coin...

This large ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to protect their elaborate hairstyles by elevating the head during slumber. This example dates to the early 20th century and is glazed in the blue-and-white style with rich, cobalt-blue color. The headrest is decorated on all sides with mythical fu lion dogs playing with ribbon-tied brocade balls, a motif that evokes the idiom "may you and your descendant achieve high rank." A powerful and benevolent guardian, the fu lion (shizi) is the perfect force to protect against nightmares and bad energy. A geometric meander trims the corners and small dragon-like bats frame coin...

To keep her elaborate hairstyle intact while sleeping, a well-to-do Qing-dynasty woman would use a rigid headrest or neck pillow to keep her head elevated. Whether functional or purely decorative, such headrests were crafted from a variety of materials and were often decorated with elaborate patterns or symbolic motifs. This porcelain headrest...