A very rare blue and white 'Daoist Immortals' auspicious rectangular plaque, Zhengde. Photo courtesy Bonhams

The heavily-potted plaque featuring a devotional scene of Shoulao lecturing on a flat rock pedestal before a glowing mandorla issuing a wisp of energy forming the character shou, the God of Immortality seated on a deerskin rug and beside a plate of peaches and an incense burner, his elderly facial features including hairy eyebrows and beard framed by his pronounced large cranium, wearing loose garments with his right hand holding a scroll, surrounded by an entourage of devotees listening to his teachings and paying respect, beside a pair of deer, tortoise, and crane, within a mountainous grotto by a river with lush growth of bamboo, pine trees,lingzhi and shrubs. 40.7cm wide. Estimate HK$ 800,000 - 1.2 million (€77,000 - 110,000)

Provenance 來源: Christie's Hong Kong, 30 May 2006, lot 1391
An important Asian private collection

Shoulao, also know as Shouxing, is the Daoist God of Longevity and giver of luck, which also represents the stellar deity for Immortality. He is commonly depicted with an enlarged cranium, walking with his gnarled staff and drinking his elixir of life from his double gourd as well as holding peaches. 

The current lot hides many other significant hidden auspicious connotations. The God of Longevity is also accompanied by two deer and a tortoise as well as a crane. Together, Shoulao and deer form the sayinglushou, which literally translates as 'to rise in approach of Immortality'. The tortoise which lives to a great age is also a symbol of long life or shou; paired together with crane or he, they form the pun heshou which literally translates as 'wishing you ample years of long life'. 

The decorative styles and the use of even-toned cobalt blue represented by the current lot can be attributed to the Zhengde period. See also another mid sixteenth century comparable plaques, also with well-graduated blue tones, sold in our London rooms, 12 May 2011, lot 301. 

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART. Hong Kong. 24 Nov 2013 14:00 CST