Antique Consecrated Kitchen God/Mandarin Official with Hu Tablet, China (16851)

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 family ancestral figures. As traditional, this carved official has a serious expression, sits on a backless chair on a high decorative pedestal resting feet in black shoes and wears officials attire – a high collared red robe extending to the top of his shoes, hands on his thighs the right holding a long slender curved hu-tablet and a double belt above and below his ample stomach – all signs of his office and status.

While carved in the likeness of a grand mandarin judge or court official, this figures can be identified as the Kitchen God. Standing at nearly a foot and a half, its impressive size indicates it was a centerpiece carved for a prominent public village temple, a wealthy merchant guild hall, or a large clan ancestral altar rather than a standard, small kitchen niche. He holds a Hu tablet (hu) to record deeds or present declarations to the higher celestial courts, characteristic of a kitchen god.  His headwear of a black cloth indicated a civil official’s high rank The holes on his face with short hairs indicate his moustache and beard, now partially lost. His face is gilt and red signifying fu  and the Five Blessings or Happinesses and reinforce his high status. The face and neck retain a beautiful, heavily aged layer of original gold leaf gilding that has worn thin down to the dark undercoat, and his robes show a great weathered “temple patina” from a century of exposure to candle smoke and burning incense sticks. He holds a hu tablet to record deeds present to the higher celestial courts, characteristic of a Kitchen God figure. The face and neck retain a beautiful aged layer of original gold leaf gilding that has worn thin down to the dark undercoat, His robes show a fantastic, weathered “temple patina” featuring scattered black soot stains from a century of exposure to candle smoke and burning incense sticks. The original plug (bung) is 100% intact, perfectly flush, and remains tightly sealed by its original 19th-century lacquer adhesive and painted with same rich  same rich cinnabar red lacquer to blend it into the robes which greatly adds to its value.

Most that survived, like this, have expected worn surfaces, cracks, paint and lacquer losses, and minor old  wood pest damage. 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.

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

AI Summary Comments

Because of the imposing scale, the intact hu tablet, the beautifully preserved gilded face, and the strong historical presence, this standalone figure. A perfectly intact and sealed consecration chamber on a figure combined with the beautifully preserved gilded face, the intact hu tablet, and the robust Hunan style, this grand carving stands securely at the upper end of a collectible statue.