Vase with the “One Hundred Deer” motif
Deer were considered supernatural creatures in premodern China. Here, the animals cavort in a magical forest of towering pines. Thanks to the newly introduced enamel painting method, both the deer and the landscape are rendered with a rich variety of color and subtle changes in tone. This imposing vase carries a second layer of meaning as the Chinee word for deer (lu) is a homonym for “bureaucratic benefits.” One hundred deer signify the numerous social and economic benefits a man could accrue during his career
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