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This fine Chinese wood carving is a seated ancestor figure portrayed as a Chinese official. By the 10th century, the Chinese bureaucracy was run by a class of scholarly elite officials who passed a variety of tough examinations in history, philosophy and the Confucian teachings of statecraft and ethics. Passing made them eligible for positions…
Over the centuries, worship of Buddhist and Taoist deities, ancestor figures, official imperial images, and “popular gods” has been an intricate part of the fabric of Chinese life. This image was not placed on a home altar as it was not consecrated. The intricacy, fineness, selection of materials, and overall quality of the images was…
Guandi lived during the latter part of the Han Dynasty and is the best known and most revered Chinese military historical hero. He was canonized in 1504 as Guan Di, the Taoist God of War and China’s Protector. According to Keith Stevens, he is “all things to all men, not only prayed to for protection…
Guandi lived during the latter Han Dynasty and is one of China’s best known Taoist-Deities and its most revered military and historical hero canonized in 1504 as Guan Di, the Taoist God of War and Protector of China. According to Keith Stevens, he is “all things to all men, not only prayed to for protection…
Attendant figures are usually presented on an altar in pairs flanking revered figure they honor. This lovely carving is an enlightened being indicated by her pendulous ears, an elevated flowing ribbon, and blissful smile. She traditionally carries offerings which might be food, fruit, medicine, or other unique items. Her extremely pleasing face highlights her modesty as…
This sweet diminutive antique-Chinese-wood-carving of an enlightened Buddhist attendant on a double lotus base that was commissioned by the proud father to celebrate and bless a marriage as indicated by the inscription on the rear 陈门李氏双全 that indicates that it belonged to the Lee family. Although its meaning is not entirely clear, it appears to…
Attendants like this often accompanied Taoist figures on home altars, along with other deities and spiritual images. They frequently presented offerings to them which, when tied with ribbons, symbolized “ longevity for generations”. This 18-19th century carving may have accompanied a significant deity as the statue was covered in gilt and lacquer, some which has naturally darkened from age and from years of incense, age and use.
Nandi is among the most frequent Hindu deities worshiped in public places, temples, homes, or on a home altar throughout India. As one of Hinduism’s mythical animals, Nandi is Shiva’s vahana, (his mount that transports him), attendant and leader of his attendants and guardian of all four-footed animals. A recumbent image of Nandi on a…
Metal oil lamps (diyas) made for deities in Hinduism are recognized by distinct designs, symbols or figures which identify specific deities to devotees wish to offer their prayers used in homes and temples for daily prayers (puja). This heavy brass antique votive from India is a Vishnu diya with a shallow yoni shaped cup, short…
This antique brocaded bible or document holder from Bolivia is decorated with symbolic stylized flowers widely used in Christianity: passion flowers and roses. Nicolas Monardes, a 16th century Spanish doctor was one of the first Europeans to see a passion flower which is native to South America, who found 22 species and brought them back…
This antique brocaded document or bible cover from Bolivia is decorated with symbolic stylized flowers widely used in Christianity: passion flowers and roses. Nicolas Monardes, a 16th century Spanish doctor was one of the first Europeans to see a passion flower which is native to South America, who found 22 species and brought them back …
A stupa is a memorial shrine and a sacred burial mound to house sacred relics associated with the Buddha or other Buddhist saintly persons, a symbol of the Buddha’s enlightenment and a model of the Buddhist cosmos (McArthur, p. 179). Initially they were hemispherical mound-like shapes and were transformed in East Asia into a pagoda…
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