Page 182 - Fine Chinese Ceramics Sept 2016

VARIOUS PROPERTIES

1374
A VERY RARE AND EXCEPTIONALLY
LARGE FAMILLE ROSE FIGURE OF LUXING
HOLDING A CHILD
19TH CENTURY
The god of rank is shown holding a young boy and
wearing colorful layered robes and a court hat. The
boy has his hands raised to his mouth and holds what
appears to be a pink bud. A circular opening is in the
back of the fgure.

33æ in. (85.8 cm.) high
$80,000-120,000

PROVENANCE

Edulji Framroze Dinshaw (1916-1970) Collection,
New York.
Bachoobai Dinshaw (Countess Bachoobai
Woronzow-Dashkow) (1914-2003) Collection,
New York.
Jacqueline F. Rae (1929-2015) Collection, New York.

Luxing is the god of rank, and together with the
immortals Fu Lu and Shoulao form the Three Star
Gods of Daoism (the Sanxing). As seen with the
current exceptional fgure, Luxing is often depicted
in the dress of a Mandarin, with heavily embroidered
robes, and holding a young boy. According to Terese
Tse Bartholomew in Hidden Meanings in Chinese
Art, Hong Kong, 2006, p. 102, rank and wealth are
synonymous in ancient China, and the young boy
Luxing holds is emblematic of generations of sons
and grandsons and the wish for their unceasing
future success. The Three Star Gods are often
shown together and are a common fxture in
Chinese homes and shops, and the present fgure
was likely part of such a set of the Three Star
Gods. The extraordinary large size as well as the
fne quality of the decoration of the present fgure
indicate that he was likely commissioned by a
patron of particularly high importance.

Compare the similar modeling and colorful,
elaborately decorated robes of a part-set of four
famille rose immortals dated to the Qianlong
period, but of smaller size (39 cm. high), from the
Collection of the Comte de Renesse, Brussels, sold
at Sotheby’s London, 27 May 1938, lot 40.

清十九世紀 粉彩神仙抱子立像

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