Antique Pair of Attendants with Offerings, China (16242BLK) $650

Description

Buddhist and Taoist deities were often placed on a home altar accompanied by a pair of attendants, one  on each side, looking downward with modesty or inward with respect, and placed at an indirect angle while offering respect and obeisance to the deity they accompany. Taoist attendants often carried unique items representing offerings such as medicinal gourds/potions or pillboxes for medicine gods or baskets or sacks of  gold and silver blocks for wealth gods, or other precious gifts. One these attendant carries a box covered with cloth with ribbons on top and the other a thin tall rectangular box with a cover. When ribbons are displayed wrapped around objects they impart importance to the power of the object they surround since they are perceived as rays or auras emanating from the object that symbolize miraculous powers. They also symbolize a wish for longevity. They wear officials-attire and headwear which might be to emphasize their status. These antique-Chinese-wood-carving images were probably painted with red polychrome and gilt, which remains on their faces, and then covered with a thick lacquer that naturally darkened over time plus the effects of smoke from incense and candle offerings. They are mounted on  uniquely crafted hand finished frosted Acrylic base. This pair is part of the VA Buddhist-Art Collection.