Anonymous, Ritual Painting. Estimate $8,000–12,000.
Yȕ Huang Da Di
The illustrious figure featured at the top of this painting is Yȕ Huang Da Di, regarded as a primordial god in Chinese mythology. Here pictured seated in a dragon-drawn chariot, the ‘Jade Emperor’ is known for having devoted his life to charity and to the cultivation of Dao. He appears in many folk tales, including the legend of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl, that of the zodiac animals, and in the novel Journey to the West.
Guanyin
Guanyin, commonly worshipped as the Goddess of Mercy, is a central figure in Buddhism. Here she is shown gently smiling upon a boy in a red robe, Hong Hai’er, from Wu Cheng En’sJourney to the West. In the novel, Hong Hai’er prays to Guanyin who accepts him as a disciple.
The Eight Daoist Immortals
Symbolic of prosperity and longevity, these eight deities feature prominently in Chinese works of art, dramas, and paintings. Each immortal’s power is contained in his or her ritual implement, which can bestow life or destroy evil. Each implement is always depicted with its associated god as an identifying attribute in Chinese iconography.
He-He Er Xian
He-He Er Xian, the Immortals of Harmony and Union, are two immortals popularly associated with happy marriages. They are typically depicted as boys holding a lotus flower. ‘He-He’ is a rebus in Chinese for ‘harmony’.
Qianliyan
Qianliyan, a sea and door guardian, appears here with an all-seeing eye enclosed within a crystal orb. His name literally translates to ‘Eye of a Thousand Miles,’ and he uses his extraordinary attribute to protect sailors at night, during fog or other inclement weather. He is often paired with a guardian deity of exceptional hearing.
The ancient tradition of celebrating immortals through visual art has long influenced the development of Chinese iconography. This ‘Water and Land’ ritual painting, which will be offered for sale during New York Asia Week on 15 September, depicts a number of gods popular in both Daoist and secular Chinese culture. Click through to take a closer look at elements of the painting in detail.
Saturday at Sotheby's: Asian Art
15 September |New York