A Ming Pottery Ridge Tile of Li Tieguai
A Ming Pottery Ridge Tile, Ming Dynasty, Hongzhi to Chongzhen Period c.1500-1640, Probably from a Kiln in Shanxi Province. The `Tileworks Type` Sancai architectural pottery figures depict the Daoist Immortal Li Tieguai or Iron-Crutch Li. Iron-Crutch Li (Wade Giles: Li T`ieh-kuai) is the most ancient of the Eight Immortals in the Daoist pantheon. He is irascible and ill-tempered, but also benevolent to the poor, sick and the needy, whose suffering he alleviates with medicine from his gourd bottle (which can be seen on the back of this figure). He is portrayed as an ugly old man with dirty face, scraggy beard, and messy hair held by a golden band, walking with the aid of an iron crutch. This ridge tile has clearly visible signs of the method in which it was attached on the roof. A large iron support spike has been fitted inside the figure which would have then been attached to the roof, it is strange that Iron-Crutch Li needed an iron support.
See Below For More Photographs and Information.
SOLD
- Condition
- In very good condition, two glaze chips to the lower part of the front of the semi-circular base. Wear, and minor glaze loss.
- Size
- Height 41.2 cm (16 1/4 inches)
- Provenance
- An old collectors label is on the underside of the figure, unfortunately this has been damaged so it is illegible. There is a large circular stamp that is also illegible.
- Stock number
- 27009
Photos
Information
Sancai Pottery (three colours) is a term used to describe low-fired polychrome glazes consisting of three or sometimes four colours. These were predominately, green, brown, yellow and cream. Typical Sancai pottery includes lead-fluxed Tang wares. Sancai glazes are frequently found on Chinese funerary and architectural pottery. The type of pottery used for Minqi (funerary models) is similar to the ceramic body employed to make Ming architectural tiles and is therefore sometimes referred to as `tile-works type`.
Li Tieguai Iron-Crutch Li (Wade Giles: Li T`ieh-kuai) is the most ancient of the Eight Immortals of the Daoist pantheon. He is irascible and ill-tempered, but also benevolent to the poor, sick and the needy, whose suffering he alleviates with medicine from his gourd bottle ( which can be seen on the back of this figure). He is portrayed as an ugly old man with dirty face, scraggy beard, and messy hair held by a golden band, walking with the aid of an iron crutch.
The Eight Immortals are a group of legendary Xian, immortals or transcendents in Chinese mythology. Each Immortals power can be transferred to a power tool that can give life or destroy evil. Together, these eight tools are called `Covert Eight Immortals`. Most of them are said to have been born in the Tang Dynasty or Song Dynasty. They are revered by the Taoists, and are also a popular element in the secular Chinese culture. They are said to live on Penglai Mountain-Island. The Immortals are : Immortal Woman He (He Xiangu),Royal Uncle Cao (Cao Guojiu),Iron-Crutch Li (LiTieguai),Lan Caihe,Lü Dongbin, (leader)Philosopher Han Xiang (Han Xiang Zi),Elder Zhang Guo(Zhang Guo Lao),and Zhongli Quan.