Collection

Scroll

unknown

  • Scroll 2
  • Scroll 3
  • Scroll 4
Basic information
ID
Рз-136/2
Author
unknown
Name
Scroll
Date of creation
19th c.
Technique
embroidery watercolor
Material
silk paper Indian ink watercolor on silk
Dimensions (height x width, cm)
225 x 43.5
Information about author
Author
unknown
Object description
The scroll depicts three characters. Dressed up, with a lotus seed box on a long stem, He Xiangu is shown next to the travelling Xiang (an immortal, holy man). He Xiangu is the only woman from the group of Eight Immortals, the patron saint of unmarried girls and older women. Xiangu's companion, Xian is a symbol of longevity, wealth and happiness in Chinese art, is shown holding mushrooms and carrying a basket hanging from a long-stemmed axe. The ethereal creature is recognisable by the eccentric skirt of leaves and the cape of lynx fur on the top of a Chinese dressing gown. On the Phoenix, Xiwangmu, the mistress of a paradise for immortals and the owner of gardens where peaches of longevity grow, is depicted with a flute in her hand. The beautiful young woman in an exceptionally beautiful outfit with an elaborate hairdo and a permanent ornament in her hair is obviously flying to her abode. The Chinese phoenix - Fenghuang, distinguished by its large eyes, comb and very lush tail, embodies femininity, heralds an important event and is a symbol of happiness and prosperity. The scroll is part of a set of 11 vertical scrolls that compose a single work depicting scenes from Chinese mythology, namely the journey of the Daoist Immortals to Xi Wang Mu.