Figurine
17th century or 18th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is a Chinese Taoist figurine which may have been made as an incense burner, since a small section of metal welded to his back behind his shoulder blades is shaped with a space which would hold a stick of incense. It may have been designed for use in a temple, but more probably, because of its size, for home use. Although the figure appears to be dancing, this more probably represents a priest or even a deity.
Taoism was the religion of most Chinese, including the Emperor, prior to the 17th century. It evolved from a simple philosophy into a highly-structured religion with temples, priests, monks, holy sites, a pantheon of deities and more than 1500 sacred texts.
Taoism was the religion of most Chinese, including the Emperor, prior to the 17th century. It evolved from a simple philosophy into a highly-structured religion with temples, priests, monks, holy sites, a pantheon of deities and more than 1500 sacred texts.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Bronze soldered |
| Brief description | Taoist figurine possibly designed as an incense-burner, for home use. Bronze. Chinese, 17th-18th century. |
| Physical description | Bronze figurine of a sinuous, grinning, bare-footed Chinese figure, leaning to his left, standing on his right leg, his left extended in the air in front of him. He wears calf-length trousers and a skirted, knee-length coat open to below his protruding stomach and a belt, the two ends of which curl from his body in snake like fashion. He is bare-headed, and the body is soldered on to a hollow upturned half-eggshell shaped base. A section of metal soldered to his back under the shoulder blades is shaped with a hole, possibly for an incense stick. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Richard Vincent Hughes Bequest |
| Summary | This is a Chinese Taoist figurine which may have been made as an incense burner, since a small section of metal welded to his back behind his shoulder blades is shaped with a space which would hold a stick of incense. It may have been designed for use in a temple, but more probably, because of its size, for home use. Although the figure appears to be dancing, this more probably represents a priest or even a deity. Taoism was the religion of most Chinese, including the Emperor, prior to the 17th century. It evolved from a simple philosophy into a highly-structured religion with temples, priests, monks, holy sites, a pantheon of deities and more than 1500 sacred texts. |
| Bibliographic reference | Late Chinese Bronzes by Rose Kerr. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.318-1981 |
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| Record created | November 7, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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