Liu Haichan
Figure
1980 (made)
1980 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The figure is Liu Hai, a Daoist immortal who kept a three-legged toad as companion. The toad often ran away, but would come back every time Liu dangled a string of cash. Hence Liu and his toad have become a symbol of wealth.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Liu Haichan (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Stoneware, unglazed |
| Brief description | Figure of Liu Hai, made by Xu Xiutang, Yixing, China, 1980 |
| Physical description | Liu Hai with toad Box: Booklet 'A million pairs of hands' in register with FE.60&A-1984 gives biography of maker |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Signed on back 'Made by Xu Xiutang, autumn 1980' |
| Gallery label | Liu Hai and his three-legged toad
Made by Xu Xiutang
1980
Yixing kilns, south China
Liu Hai was a Daoist immortal who kept a three-legged toad as companion.
Unglazed brown stoneware
Museum no. FE.32-1984(2007) |
| Object history | Bought in Hong Kong by Rose Kerr, AK/ in course of trip to China to acquire 20th c. material in 1984 |
| Production | Biographical reference: See booklet 'A million pairs of hands: the arts of Yi-xing', published by vendors. Student at Zhejiang Arts & Crafts Inst., joined Yixing in 50s as student of Ren Jianting. 1958 entered Beijing Arts and Crafts Inst. Specialist figure modeller. Yixing, Jiangsu province, CHINA |
| Summary | The figure is Liu Hai, a Daoist immortal who kept a three-legged toad as companion. The toad often ran away, but would come back every time Liu dangled a string of cash. Hence Liu and his toad have become a symbol of wealth. |
| Bibliographic reference | Rose Kerr, 'Contemporary Chinese Crafts', 'V&A Album 4' (1985), p.326, fig.7: Frances Wood & Rose Kerr, 'Chinese Collections', 'Crafts', 77 (Nov/Dec 1985): Rose Kerr, 'Ceramic Story', 'China Now', Autumn 1986, no 118
K.S Lo, 'The stonewares of Yixing', (Sotheby's/Hong Kong UP, 1986), pp.235, pl. 163 (identical to present example) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.32-1984 |
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| Record created | February 12, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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