Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
The Military Door Guard “Bring in Emoluments”
Not on view
Door guards function to ward off evil spirits from the house. This warrior with exotic facial features, however, holds a small dish on which sits a deer icon. In Chinese, the word for “deer” is homophonic with the character for “emolument,” thus conveying the wish for a higher salary.
Together with its pendant at right, this print forms part of a pair of military figures flamboyantly dressed in costumes with intricate designs. Its soft blue and rose palette is characteristic of Suzhou prints from the Kangxi era (1662–1722).
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