Fint skulpterad/gjuten med de åtta daoistiska odödliga runt kroppen som vid skuldran är dekorerad med trigram. Hög hals, hänklar i form av qilindrakar, halsen med dekor i relief av Sholaou med sina attribut trana och sköldpadda. Oktagonal fot. Höjd 57 cm. Höjd med lampskärm och montering 84 cm.
Monterad till lampa. En figur på halsen saknar huvud.
Property of a private Swedish Collector.
Compare with a related bronze arrow vase decorated with the Eight Immortals and other longevity figures, Ming dynasty, in the Cernuschi Museum, Paris, illustrated by M.Maucuer, Bronzes de la Chine Impériale des Song aux Qing, Paris, 2013, p.151, no.103. See also a Cizhou arrow vase, circa 1522-1566, decorated with the Eight Immortals, in the British Museum, London, illustrated by J.Harrison-Hall, Catalogue of Late Yuan and Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001, p.437, no.14:6.
Compare with Bonhams, More than a Game
Games in Chinese Art, including the Brian Harkins Collection of Bronze Arrow Vases, Hong Kong, Admirality, 29 – 30 May 2022.
The present vase is decorated with ten Daoist Immortals, a turtle and a crane, all of which symbolise longevity.
These type of vases were designed for the ancient Chinese game of touhu, or 'arrow throwing', which would form part of the entertainment at banquets and is mentioned in early classical texts such as the Chunqiu Zuo Zhuan. Contestants would aim feathered arrows at the various cylinders applied to the vase, with higher points awarded for the less accessible openings. The loser was made to drink wine, leading to increased inebriation and diminished throwing accuracy.