Large seated monkey holding a peach, China, Kangxi period, circa 1700. Enamel on biscuit porcelain. Height 24.5 cm. © Vanderven Oriental Art

one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. A monkey holding the peach alludes to the Monkey King Sun Wukong. According to legend, he disrupted a banquet hosted by the Queen Mother of the West Xiwangmu, by attempting to steal rare immortality peache. The Queen Mother’s peach orchard bloomed only every 3000 years, the fruit taking an equal amount of time to ripen. Monkey’s exploits are recounted in the Ming Dynasty novel ‘The Journey to the West' by Wu Chengen.

Provenance: Private collection, UK, 2015; Private collection, France, 2007 

Vanderven Oriental Art (stand 102). TEFAF 2016, 11-20 march, Maastricht

Director(s): Floris van der Ven, Nynke van der Ven-van Wijngaarden, Floris Bouwman 

Vanderven Oriental Art, specialises in Asian art with an emphasis on Chinese and Japanese porcelain. Also included are early bronzes and terracotta objects dating from as early as 3000 BC as well as Chinese works of art and colonial furniture. The firm has sold to numerous private collectors, decorators, museums and historic houses in the world. 
We aim to provide all the academic information with our object in a written certificate. We also offer a door to door delivery service. The client therefore buys with full confidence and utmost convenience. 

The business is run from offices in an historical building in the centre of the medieval town of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Visitors are welcome in our gallery or by appointment or they can see the collection on our website.

Contact: Nachtegaalslaantje 1
5211 LE ´s-Hertogenbosch
Netherlands
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