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Pillow end decorated with deer, bird, monkey, and wasps, one of a pair
Pillow end decorated with deer, bird, monkey, and wasps, one of a pair

Pillow end decorated with deer, bird, monkey, and wasps, one of a pair

Place of OriginChina
Dateapprox. 1800-1900
DynastyQing dynasty (1644-1911)
MaterialsEmbroidered silk gauze
DimensionsOverall: H. 6 3/4 × W. 6 3/4 in. (17.1 × 17.1 cm)
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Ursula W. Bingham
Object number1988.32.18.a
DepartmentChinese Art
ClassificationsTextiles
On View
Not on view
More Information
Paired with the pillow end depicting a lion playing with a brocade ball, this one depicts a deer carrying a fungus of immortality with a bird flying above them, and a monkey knocking a wasps nest with a stick, angry wasps buzzing around them. The four elements make up a pictorial pun for "May you receive high rank and an official salary", as the Chinese word for each pictorial element sounds like a word or phrase in the blessing: "Bird" and "noble rank" are homophonous (jue), as are "deer" and "official salary" (lu), "wasp" and "confer" (feng), and "monkey" and "marquis" (hou).