A rare set of gilt-lacquer and polychrome bronze figures of the nine emperor gods, China, Ming dynasty. Estimate 30,000 — 40,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

each cast dressed in the robes of an official, standing with hands clasped at chest level, eight holding huaudience tablets, one holding a scroll, with details highlighted in pigment (9). Heights 12 3/4  in., 32.4 cm

Note: The nine emperor gods are personifications of stars in the Big Dipper. Their veneration has its roots in nature worship dating back to prehistoric times. With the rise of religious Daoism during the Han dynasty, they began to be represented in human form. Their main festival falls on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month and is still celebrated in places with large Chinese populations that trace their ancestry to Fujian province, such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. It is rare to find a complete set.

Sotheby's. Images of Enlightenment: Devotional Works of Art & Paintings New York, 16 sept. 2015