Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Door Guard Yuchi Gong
Not on view
The large nose, bulging eyes, and full beard identify this figure as General Yuchi Gong (585–658), of Central Asian origin, who made a significant contribution to the founding of the Tang dynasty (618–907). It is said that he and General Qin Qiong (d. 638) went to stand guard outside the imperial chamber door when the emperor was disturbed by noisy demons at night. Later, to relieve them of their nightly duty, the emperor ordered their portraits painted on his doors.
The pair first appeared in prints as door guards in the sixteenth century, and soon gained wide popularity as household items. Typical of the prints made in Mianzhu, this work features bold lines and bright designs enriched with gold applied by stencil.
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