114 - CHINA - 18th/19th century

CHINA - 18th/19th century Ink and colors on silk, depicting seven immortals symbolizing the northern constellations: Dou, Niu, Nü, Xu, Wei, Shi, and Bi, which roughly correspond to the modern constellations of Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pegasus, and Andromeda. They are surrounded by dark clouds, each holding their emblem or sacred object. Dimensions (viewable area): 157 x 89 cm Framed under glass. (Small tears and stains). The ancient Chinese divided the sky near the celestial equator and the ecliptic into four zones: east, south, west, and north, known as the Si Gong (Four Palaces). Each palace comprised seven constellations, for a total of twenty-eight: these are the famous “Twenty-Eight Constellations.” The “Twenty-Eight Constellations” are an essential part of traditional Chinese culture and have been widely used for millennia in astronomy, religion, literature, as well as in the fields of divination and feng shui. The ancient Chinese believed that each constellation corresponded to a celestial deity, which explains the creation of numerous “paintings of celestial officials” that have survived to this day, the oldest of which date back to the early Tang Dynasty. In this painting, the seven deities depicted embody the seven constellations of the “Northern Palace” (a symbol of winter): Dou, Niu, Nü, Xu, Wei, Shi, and Bi. The ancient Chinese associated each star officer with a specific animal; this is why each deity is accompanied here by an animal: a xiezhi (mythical creature), an ox, a bat, two swallows, a pig, and a chimera. It should be noted that, in this painting, the figure of the rat—which should have appeared—has been replaced by a rooster. The rooster is the symbol of the Mao constellation of the “Western Palace,” which is undoubtedly a misinterpretation on the part of the painter. Expert: PORTIER Firm