Blanc de Chine porcelain. China, Dehua, Qing to Republic (19th cent. – 1st third 20th cent.)
Cao is said to have lived in the 10th century as a military commander and son of express Cao Hou. Aside from the prominent beard and courtly attire, his characteristic features are two clapper castanets, which allow him free access to the court at any time. He is the patron of theatre and actors and also one of the Baxian, the eight immortals. The tiger rests on a base formed as a rock on top of a dark-wood plinth.
HEIGHT (WITH BASE) 14,5 CM
From the collection of Jürgen L. Fischer, Ascona, Switzerland
Jürgen L. Fischer was one of the major European collectors of Chinese art. The extensive size of the collection largely owes to the family’s fortune from the invention of the world-famous “Uhu Alleskleber ” in 1932 (the first synthetic resin glue world-wide) by grandfather August Fischer. Jürgen L. Fischer, who lived until 2013, was an avid collector of Chinese porcelain in an astonishing wide variety, in every size and from every time period. Jürgen Fischer passed on his comprehensive knowledge in numerous specialist books – among others, his large and very instructive book about the art of Chinese snuffbottles and also an antiquarian’s guide to Chinese art.