Made in Canton, where formal restrictions barred Western women from entering the bustling city, a small number nevertheless defied regulation and ventured into the heart of this major Chinese port. Attributed to the sculptor Chitqua, the statuette may stand as a material trace of such acts of transgression. Unlike his customary clay sculptures, the piece marks a departure from his usual practice. It may have been commissioned by one of these women as a keepsake of a forbidden visit, produced as a private work connected to her presence, or created as an exploratory departure within the sculptor’s own practice. While its exact origin remains uncertain, the statuette continues to suggest covert encounters and moments of cultural exchange that occurred in spite of official prohibition.