Table screen with immortals

China

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 214

Luxury writing accessories with religious subjects were used by literati to manifest their wishes. This tabletop screen, which protects inkstone from dust, illustrates a popular Daoist subject. The deity of longevity (Shoulao), identified by his prominent bald cranium, sits on a garden rock. The eight immortals stand in two lines and greet him on his birthday with various gifts. Below the rock pedestal, four incised characters convey every scholar’s aspiration: ci jinshi di, or “confer the jinshi degree,” the highest degree in the imperial civil service exam.

Table screen with immortals, Pewter, brass, China

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Table screen with immortals, Pewter, brass, China
Table screen with immortals, Pewter, brass, China
Table screen with immortals, Pewter, brass, China

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