Antique Kitchen God and His Wife, China (16850H-BME) $785

$785.00

H: 7.75″  W: 3.25″  D: 2.375″ | free shipping!

Finely detailed and carved from dense wood, this Kitchen God and his Wife are near mirror images of each other. Both sit on backless chairs on a high plinth, with layered gold officials’ robes with decorative sashes and hands clasped symbolically as if holding a hu tablet. Their different well-carved faces have arched brows, pendulous ears and hair under detailed, different and distinctive head wear. They are in excellent condition with most of the original pigmentation and gilt.

 

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 with a lacquer coating were owned by wealthier families. The Kitchen God is syncretic as a Taoist, Popular Religion and Buddhist tutelary deity, beloved among house-gods as protector of the home. He observes the family’s behavior and morality and on Chinese New Year ascends to the heavens 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. Each of this pair has an indentation to symbolize holding a hu-tablet.  This folk-art pair makes unique house warming or wedding gifts and add positive chi to any household. They were covered in red, the color of fu, and lacquer and have cavities closed with a bung indicating they were consecrated. 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. Kitchen God images, especially in. pairs are  very difficult to find and very collectible.

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

Additional information

Weight 5 lbs
Dimensions 12 × 9 × 6 in
Place of Origin

China

Period

Antique, Qing Dynasty

Date

19th Century

Materials and Technique

Wood

Dimensions (inches)

Ht: 7.75” W: 3.25” D: 2.375”

Dimensions (metric)

Ht: 19.685cm W : 8.255cm D: 6.0325cm

Weight

1 lb 6oz

Condition

Excellent, fine patina demonstrating age and use

Reference Number

16850H-BME

Shipping Box Size