Pair 18th C. Chinese Qing Dynasty Roof Tiles - Dragons
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Description
East Asia, Northern China, Shanxi Province, Qing Dynasty, ca. 1780 CE. Two elaborately delineated roof tiles depicting dragons with long, sinuous, serpentine bodies molded in high relief, extensively detailed with scales and flame-like peripheries, slithering amidst billowing clouds or plumes of smoke. The dragon motif is presented on both sides of the arched tile. According to Chinese tradition, roofs are understood to be loci of communication between the living and the spiritual realms. As a consequence, the ancients decorated them to ward off evil and act as a magnet for good fortune and blessings. Size: 47" L x 18" H (119.4 cm x 45.7 cm)
In China, dragons have traditionally symbolized auspicious powers involving control over rainfall, water, floods, and typhoons - quite apropos for the iconography of rooftop tiles, as roofs are designed to shelter inhabitants of their edifice from the elements. Whereas in the West, dragons represent evil; in the East, dragons are mythological symbols of good luck, strength, and power as well as the seasonal cycles and the supernatural.
Provenance: private Boulder, Colorado, USA collection acquired at Indochine Gallery, Boulder, Colorado, USA
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#128581
In China, dragons have traditionally symbolized auspicious powers involving control over rainfall, water, floods, and typhoons - quite apropos for the iconography of rooftop tiles, as roofs are designed to shelter inhabitants of their edifice from the elements. Whereas in the West, dragons represent evil; in the East, dragons are mythological symbols of good luck, strength, and power as well as the seasonal cycles and the supernatural.
Provenance: private Boulder, Colorado, USA collection acquired at Indochine Gallery, Boulder, Colorado, USA
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#128581
Condition
One tile has been repaired from multiple pieces. Both have losses, fissures, surface wear, and abraded areas as shown. Both are unglazed. Both have Chinese customs wax seals certifying them for export.
Buyer's Premium
- 24.5%
Pair 18th C. Chinese Qing Dynasty Roof Tiles - Dragons
Estimate $2,800 - $4,200
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Item located in Louisville, CO, usSee Policy for Shipping
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