{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O165249"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O165249/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BE9727/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BE9727/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BE9727","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC2589","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011FB6245","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY8437","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O165249/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O165249","accessionNumber":"C.544-1910","objectType":"Figure of Guandi","titles":[{"title":"Guan Di","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Guan Di, the God of War, is a popular figure in Chinese mythology and culture. His image comes from an historical figure, Guan Yu (about 161-220), a general who helped Liu Bei to establish the Shu Han dynasty in AD 221. After his death, he was venerated as a loyal and righteous figure, until he was given the title of an emperor in AD 1594. With the name Guan Di, he was worshipped in temples and households as the daoist God of War and patron of honest merchants. \r\n\r\nIn addition to large statues placed in city's temples, smaller wooden or porcelain images of Guan Di were made for worship. In this example, produced at the Dehua kilns in southern China around 1600-1650, Guan Di is depicted wearing a scholar's gown over a full armour. The figure would have been placed on an altar in a household or in a temple.","physicalDescription":"Porcelain figure of a seated Guan Di, with a long beard, wearing a large scholar's robe and a belt with decorative plaques over a full armour; on a wooden stand, elaborately carved with flowers, rocks and <i>ruyi</i> symbols","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Porcelain with white glaze","categories":[],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006BE9727","2017KC2589","2011FB6245","2018KY8437"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"44 (VA)","id":"THES49802"},"free":"","case":"CA57","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"44 (VA)","id":"THES49802"},"free":"","case":"CA57","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure of Guandi","id":""}],[{"text":"Stand","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Salting Bequest","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bequeathed by Mr. George Salting, accessioned in 1910. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Figure of Guan Di, porcelain with white glaze, Dehua, China, Ming-Qing dynasty, ca.1600-50","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Bushell, Stephen, Chinese Art Volume II. Victoria and Albert Museum Art Handbook. London, H. M. Stationery Office, 1906.","id":"AUTH403663"},"details":"fig 9.","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Ayers, John, Far Eastern Ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Sotheby Parke Bernet, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1980.","id":"AUTH403667"},"details":"pl. 179 (monochrome plates)","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Larson, John and Rose Kerr. 'A Hero Restored- the Conservation of Guan Di'. <u>Orientations</u>. July 1991, photo p. 29."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Hobson, R.L. <u>Wares of the Ming Dynasty</u>. London: Benn Brothers Ltd., 1923. p. 176."},{"reference":{"text":"Monkhouse, Cosmo and Bushell, S. W., A History and Description of Chinese Porcelain. London, Paris, New York & Melbourne: Cassell and Co. Ltd., 1901.","id":"AUTH403670"},"details":"next to p. 50, fig. 17.","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Hannover, Emil. <u>Pottery and Porcelain: A Handbook for Collectors</u>, vol. II. London: Earnest Benn Ltd., 1925. p. 99, fig. 147."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Borel, Henri in 'Chineesche Keramiek'. <u>Oude Kunst</u>. Haarlem, Netherlands: J.A. Boom, vol. II. pp. 281, 291-2."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Batavia, A. in 'Exposition d'art Chinois'. <u>L'Art Flamand et Hollandais</u>, vol. V. Bruxelles: Librairie nationale d'art et d'histoire. pp. 66-67."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Honey, W.B. <u>Guide to the Later Chinese Porcelain</u>. London: Board of Education, 1927. pp. 62 and 90, pl. 107."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"關帝","id":"CIT286561"},{"text":"巾","id":"CIT0292168"},{"text":"帽花","id":"CIT285600"},{"text":"鬚 (人體面部)","id":"CIT288971"},{"text":"袍","id":"CIT289580"},{"text":"腰帶","id":"CIT285621"},{"text":"帶版","id":"CIT285624"},{"text":"鎧甲","id":"CIT290291"},{"text":"綁腿","id":"CIT0284141"},{"text":"鞋","id":"CIT0288715"},{"text":"垂足坐","id":"CIT0292603"},{"text":"坐具","id":"CIT281697"},{"text":"花","id":"CIT280557"},{"text":"石","id":"CIT280041"},{"text":"靈芝","id":"CIT284138"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Figure of Guandi\r\nMing-Qing dynasty\r\n1600-1650\r\n\r\nGuandi, the Daoist god of war, is here represented with a scholar's robe over his armour. In this attire he was venerated as the patron god of scholars. \r\n\r\nPorcelain with white glaze\r\nDehua kilns, south China\r\n\r\nSalting Bequest\r\nMuseum no. C.544-1910","date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"}},{"text":"Figure of Guan Di, glazed porcelain\r\nAbout 1600-1650, Ming dynasty\r\nDehua ware, with the mark of the potter He Chaozong\r\nGuan Di, a historical general, was worshipped in later times as a God of War and also as a patron of merchants.","date":{"text":"1991","earliest":"1991-01-01","latest":"1991-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["C.544-1910","C.544A-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"544","accessionNumberPrefix":"C","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Figure of Guandi","Stand"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-19","recordCreationDate":"2008-08-13","availableToBook":false}}