A FAMILLE ROSE LOZENGE-SHAPED JARDINIERE

19TH CENTURY

Details

A FAMILLE ROSE LOZENGE-SHAPED JARDINIERE
19TH CENTURY
The slightly sides are finely painted with four scenes of Liu Hai's endeavor to catch his toad. Each scene is within a border of underglazed blue flowers and butterflies. The first scene depicts Liu Hai kneeling on the prefatory of a rock luring the toad with a string of coins; the second, Liu Hai holding a ruyi scepter in his left hand and reaching out towards the puffing toad with his bare right hand; the third, Liu Hai standing on a double gourd floating on the sea luring the toad with a string of coins in his hands; the fourth, Liu Hai holding a lotus branch in one hand with the coin-puffing toad sitting on his shoulder on a leash.
11 in. (28 cm.) high.

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Lot Essay

This unusual piece tells the story of the Daoist immortal Liu Hai, who was rewarded with the secret of eternal life and the ability to fly anywhere in the world instantaneously for his friendship with a poisonous toad. The link between the poisonous powers of the toad and the lure of Liu Hai's coins was intended to symbolize the dangerous power of money.

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