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Lot 84

A RARE CARVED BAMBOO 'SHOULAO' GROUP
17th/18th century

14 May 2025, 10:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £7,680 inc. premium

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A RARE CARVED BAMBOO 'SHOULAO' GROUP

17th/18th century
The deity finely carved seated on rockwork, with a jovial face beneath high, domed forehead and with long flowing beard, his left hand clasping a peach, his right hand holding a ruyi sceptre, beside him a boy riding a deer, while another boy attempts to clamber atop his foot.
20.5cm (8in) high.

Footnotes

十七/十八世紀 竹雕壽老像

Shoulao, the God of Longevity in Chinese mythology, is a revered figure often depicted with a high, domed forehead symbolising wisdom and Immortality. His association with peaches, known as the 'Peaches of Immortality', emphasises his role as a bringer of long life and vitality. The presence of deer, another common motif, reinforces longevity and prosperity. When Shoulao is shown surrounded by children, such as the present lot, it symbolises the blessings of family, fertility, and the continuation of lineage, combining the virtues of health, happiness, and enduring legacy. Compare with a related carved bamboo figure of Shoulao, late Ming/early Qing dynasty, illustrated in Literati Spirit: Art of Chinese Bamboo Carving, Shanghai, 2012, pp.37-38, no.7. See also a similar bamboo carving of Shoulao with children, 18th century, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc.no.42.90.71).

Compare with a carved bamboo figure of Shoulao and deer, Qing dynasty, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 2 December 2015, lot 3156.

Additional information

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