18TH CENTURY

細節

A LARGE BAMBOO CARVING OF SHOULAO AND BOYS
18TH CENTURY
Well carved as Shoulao seated on the back of a flower-bedecked deer grasping a lingzhi stem in its mouth, the bearded god of Longevity holding a peach in his right hand and a lingzhi scepter in his left, while his double-gourd-hung staff is held by one of the three boys standing on the open rockwork base in front, the other two holding a peach branch and a pomegrante branch while one of the two boys standing on the reverse holds a finger citron, the three fruits held by the boys thereby constituting the sanduo
12½ in. (31.8 cm.) high, wood stand, box

拍品專文

The imagery of the current lot contains numerous auspicious symbols and rebuses. The central character Shoulao is one of the Three Star Gods of Daoism, and represents longevity. In his hands he holds a peach and a ruyi scepter, two additional longevity symbols. The children symbolize fertility and a wish for many sons; the wish reinforced by the splitting pomegranate held by one child, forming the rebus liukai baizi (one thousand sons within the same womb). The deer (lu) is both a homophone for riches or official emolument and a symbol of longevity and wealth.