Provenance: with Chait Gallery, New York (label)
Condition Report available
Price on request
This object can be viewed in our gallery.
A figure of a Daoist Warrior God, glazed all over the front in Egg & Spinach splashed enamels in amber, aubergine brown and green. His head, hands, bare feet and back of the figure are left uncoloured, having only a thin transparent glaze. His bald head with long lobed ears, has an unusual third eye (eye of wisdom) in his forehead. The whispy long beard and moustache are glazed brown. He is sitting on a high backed throne wearing full elaborate military armour, embellished with a pattern of scales, worn over robes. The tunic is gathered over the chest with a narrow belt. Another belt, with a large buckle in the form of a tiger’s head, sits lower on his stomach and from it hangs a large fish. In his right hand rests a sword, the hilt pointing up and the point resting in the hand. His left hand faces outward in what appears to be the the apana mudra (thumb touching his middle and ring fingers).
The additional eye on his forehead, could indicate he is Erlang Shen 二郎神 , the god with a third truth-seeing eye. A noble and powerful Warrior God, he embodies justice and righteousness. He is thought to have helped regulate China's large rivers and watercourses against devastating torrential floods, which could explain the fish which hangs from his belt. Also known for having superhuman strength, he was said to be able to cleave mountains with his axe. According to a Chinese myth, Erlang Shen’s powerful third eye - placed vertically in the middle of his forehead - could differentiate between an honest, good man and an evil one. His eye was also able to detect incoming enemies from vast distances and destroy them without using any weapons. The only other deity in the Daoist pantheon with a third eye, is Ma Wangye 馬王爺 - Old King Ma - one of four Daoist heavenly Marshalls who protect the cardinal directions. He was considered a god of justice and his third eye could also detect truthfulness.
Similar enthroned gods, but in a different colour palette, are in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London ((FE.29-1978 & 30-1978). A comparable figure, also with a third eye but different enamels, is published in Gorer & Blacker.
Ayers 2004, p.257 nr 190
Beurdeley & Raindre 1987, p.74 fig 104
Gorer & Blacker 1911, vol.1 pl.78
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