Antique Official in Red Robes with a Hu Tablet, China (16851BOK)

Description

Ancestor-figures portrayed as Chinese-officials were placed on a home altar with other house gods and religious images to bring fu to the household. During the Qing dynasty, designation as an Official was so significant families sought to emphasize this achievement in their family ancestral figures. As traditional, this antique-Chinese-wood-carving official has a serious expression, sits on a backless chair on a high decorative pedestal upon which his feet in black shoes rest and wears officials-attire, a high collared red robe extending to the top of his shoes, hands formally on his thighs with the right holding a long slender curved hu-tablet almost reaching his shoulder, and a double belt above and below his ample stomach – all signs of his office and status. Headwear indicated the high rank of civil officials. The somber black cloth futuo (meaning ‘black gauze cap’) worn by Ming officials was still depicted in Qing images when it gradually became a more fitted, structured cap. The holes above his lip and on his chin with short hairs indicate his moustache and beard, now partially lost, and the entire face is gilt. Gilt and red pigmentation signify fu  and the Five Blessings or Happinesses and reinforce his high status. Ancestor-worship was a cornerstone of Confucianism and an ancestral figure was the highest form of filial piety.  Most ancestral pieces were lost or deteriorated during China’s modernization, and most that survived, like this, have expected worn surfaces, cracks, paint and lacquer losses, and old damage from wood pests. Although the left “wing” on base is missing and the right one is reattached, it remains a great piece in very good condition with much of its painted and gilt surface remaining. The sealed bung over the back cavity indicates it was consecrated.

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