Antique Kitchen God and His Wife, China (16840BME) $850

Description

While most families have had prints or paper-cuts of the Kitchen God (Zao Shen) with or without his wife above their stove, carved images were owned by wealthier families. The Kitchen God is syncretic as a Taoist, Popular Religion and Buddhist tutelary deity, protector of the home. He observes the family’s behavior and morality and on Chinese New Year ascends to the heavens (his wife stays home) to report to the Jade Emperor where a favorable report brings blessings, good fortune and continued life, and a poor one brings misfortune or possible death to family members. This remarkable pair created for an affluent household are mirror-images on backless chairs with multi-sided pedestals wearing simplified officials robes and hats. Each of these antique-Chinese-wood-carvings clasp hands at their chests covered in ritual cloth.  Unlike most small images they hold an actual hu-tablet rather than having an indentation to symbolize holding one, which reflects reverence and solemnity for deities who hold the future of multiple generations in their hands. This pair is in excellent condition with their red pigment, representing fu, and lacquer remaining. The male figure’s cavity is covered with its original bung, while the bung on the female figure is missing, exposing the paper consecration script placed there by a monk during an eye-opening-ceremony. Kitchen Gods radiate warmth, especially when placed near the stove and are unique house warming or wedding gifts and add positive chi and enhance feng-shui in any home. They have become highly collectible in recent years.

Click here for the Blog Consecrating Wooden Images to Imbue Them with A Life Force.