A set of eight 'deer plates', Qing dynasty, Qianlong (1736-95).
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Round, flat, decorated with deers in a landscape setting with pine trees. Diameter 23 cm.
Wear to gilding.
Provenance
Purchased at Bukowskis, Auction 484, lot no 551 .
From the private collection of a Swedish family in Närke. The couple has a keen interest in art and antiques and started to collect in the 1960’s, attending auctions, antique shops, and antique fairs. Always seeking additional pieces that would adorn their home and that intrigued them with its quality and history.
Literature
A symbol of longevity and grace in Chinese mythology, the word deer is pronounced lu, a homonym for emoluments—favors granted to officials. They therefore represent wealth, nobility and success in imperial examinations (civil service exams for selecting candidates for the state bureaucracy in Imperial China).