Shou Lao with Crane and Boy Attendant – Chinese Hardwood Statue, Early 20th Century, 74 cm

Carved in China in the early 20th century, this substantial hardwood group of Shou Lao, the god of longevity, stands 74 cm tall and weighs 11.3 kg. Worked from a single dense block, most likely rosewood, it brings together the smiling sage, a crane and a young attendant on a rocky base tufted with pine. The carving is deep and lively, from each feather of the crane to every strand of the flowing beard and every fold of the robe.

Shou Lao is known at a glance by his tall, peach-shaped brow, his kindly smile and his long beard. He grips a gnarled staff hung with a gourd, a scroll and peaches, and holds a laden branch of the peaches of immortality before his chest. The boy at his side offers up another peach, while the crane, an age-old emblem of long life, steps between the rocks. Together they make a classic wish for health, prosperity and a long and happy life.

The wood has a deep red-brown patina. High points such as the brow and the peaches have been worn smooth and glossy by years of handling, and old dirt rests deep among the feathers and folds. An old drying crack runs through the base and the robe, the natural movement of solid hardwood over many decades: a stable, honest mark of age that suits a god of long life.

A handsome and meaningful piece for a cabinet, mantelpiece or plinth. We ship it carefully packed, and collection is welcome too.

Specifications

• Origin: China
• Date: early 20th century
• Material: hardwood, probably rosewood, hand-carved
• Subject: Shou Lao with crane and boy attendant
• Height × width: 74 × 25 cm
• Weight: 11.3 kg
• SKU: 874

Each object is examined before it is offered: material, casting or carving technique, surface, and signs of age are compared with documented references. You will receive a certificate of authenticity and an official invoice detailing the period, material, and available provenance.

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Fully insured worldwide shipping in museum-quality packaging. Returns are sent to our Dutch address and you have a 14-day cooling-off period.

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