Antique Taoist Official/ Priest with Hu Tablet, China (16095)

Description

Taoist images were represented as scholars, sages, heroes, deities, officials and priests. When these images are taken out of context they are difficult to identify so we describe them in generic terms. Seated  on a backless chair wearing long flowing officials-robes with deep folds, we use the terms  official/priest for this image, since he his portrayed  arms at his chest, hands clasped and covered by a ritual cloth holding a hu-tablet. Taoist priests holding tablets symbolized they were in the presence of a Taoist deity.

This Taoist official or priest is seated on a backless chair wearing a plain rounded high cap and long-flowing official’s robes decorated with deep-fold robe patterns. His arms are raised at his chest covered by a ritual triangular tiered cloth hands clasped together holding a hu tablet. His eyes are lowered in a solemn gaze and flanked by pendulous ears with the hair pulled up and under his official’s cap. Images were frequently damaged or darkened by incense and candle smoke from regular ritualistic offerings and were often repainted or re-lacquered as this was, probably done in the early 20th-century. Some of the original polychrome and gilt can be detected under the thick lacquer cover. There is a crack in the front extending from the cloth covering the hands to the base which extends along the statue’s base but does not comprise the structural integrity of this dense, heavy, and stable carving.

The back cavity indicates it was consecrated by a Taoist priest in an eye-opening ceremony.

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