Lot 28. A rare blue and white seated figure of Shoulao, Wanli period (1573-1619); 10 ¼ in. (26.3 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 60,000 - HKD 80,000 (USD 7,693 - USD 10,257). Unsold. © Christie's Image Ltd 2019

box. 

Property from the the Quek Kiok Lee Collection. 

Provenance: Acquired in Singapore, 8 January 1975.

Note: Large blue and white figures of this type and date, depicting Shoulao seated on a deer, appear to be quite rare. One in the British Museum (Franks. 1472) is illustrated by J. Harrison-Hall in Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2002, pp. 324-325, no. 11:131, where it is dated circa. 1573-1620. The figure is raised on a separate plinth and the height overall is 43 cm. As with the present figure, Shoulao holds a ruyi sceptre but the decoration throughout differs from that of the present figure, the robes being decorated with crane roundels.

Porcelain figure, with detached stand with underglaze blue decoration. Shoulao, the stellar god of longevity, Ming dynasty,Wanli period (1573-1620), 43 x 18 cm (with stand). Donated by Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks, Franks.1472. © The Trustees of the British Museum

Another figure of Shoulao, very similar and also dated to the Wanli period but decorated in wucai, is illustrated in Min Chiu Society, Thirtieth Anniversary Exhibition: Selected Treasures of Chinese Art, 1990, no. 149

Christie's. The Pavilion Sale - Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Including the Quek Kiok Lee Collection, Hong Kong, 9 October 2019