Antique Chinese Republic Shiwan (Shekwan) Pottery | Daoist Immortal | Li Tie Guai

Dimensions: 3-1/2”h x 4-3/4”l x 3-1/2”w 

This beautiful pottery piece depicts LI TIE GUAI resting on his medicine gourd which carries the medicine he dispenses to those who are sick or have been alienated from society. He is extremely well-defined from the folds in his deep “pomegranate red” glazed robe accented with celadon undertones, to his extremely well-defined black hair, eyebrows, beard, and exposed body, which is glazed in brown skin color. This figure has an impressed CHINA mark on the bottom indicating that it was made early in the 20^th/Century. 

This figure represents a legendary Chinese mythological character who is a member of the eight immortals. He is benevolent to the poor, sick, and needy, whose suffering he eliminated with special medicine from his gourd, (believed to contain medicine powerful enough to revive the dead). According to legend, one day he told his follower that his spirit was going to travel far away, and to watch his body for seven days while he was gone. It was a big shock when the tired spirit returned home from his trip to find no place to go because his body had been cremated. He thus became a beggar and sensitive to the needs of the sick and underprivileged. Though all the other immortals are handsome, young, noble, and wise, Li TIE GUAI remains the favorite of the immortal.

See additional writings on our website related to this subject: https://mingeiarts.com/blogs/celebration-of-mingei-journey-through-japan/shiwan-art-pottery-folklore-and-artistry

Condition: Excellent meaning the piece is perfect, totally original and complete with no discoloration or missing elements and retains its wonderful visual aesthetic and corresponds to its vintage. The artifact meets all the standards of collectible Shiwan pottery.

Additional Information: Chinese Classical Shiwan ware is a type of traditional pottery that comes from the talented artists of a small town located in the south of China called Shiwan, in Foshan City, famous for its culture and pottery. Here craftsmen are well-known for their glazing techniques and unique forms. All the sculptural work is hand-formed, and sometimes involves numerous family members within a village, while directed by a master craftsman, every object is unique, and therefore, a limited edition, which attracts art collectors the world over.  The age of Shiwan ware can be verified by the markings, or lack of markings, the fact that they are hand-formed, depicting highly expressive figural forms and vivid imagery; primitive sculpting techniques; the decorative elements associated with the figure; the deep rich glazes infused with the piece; the type of regional clay (sandy, coarse clay is the oldest), and the stylistic differences.