Chinese Ceramic Pillow

A whole landscape fits on this block's wall, pink trees included.

This porcelain pillow is from Hebei Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. Porcelain headrests were made in northern China for many centuries, and the hard, smooth surface was valued for staying cool in warm weather. White glazed sides are painted in blue, green and pink with a mountain, a tree-lined shore and two small boats. Blue stripes run down the vertical edges, and the finish is slightly uneven near the corners. It is 4.75 inches wide, 2.5 deep and 5.5 high.

Scenery this good deserves a bigger wall, and gets what it gets.