Stand with auspicious bats
Date18th century or earlier
Maker
Chinese
Label TextFive upside-down bats form a visual pun for the phrase “The five blessings have arrived.” In Chinese, the word for bat (fu) has the same sound as the words for both blessings and riches, making the bat a doubly auspicious motif. The carving of jade into movable, interlocking frets is a marvelous technical feat.
Object number33.1084
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Live Long and Prosper: Auspicious Motifs in East Asian Art, May 23, 2009 - Feb. 21, 2010.
Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing.Credit LineEugene Fuller Memorial Collection
Dimensions2 1/4 x 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 in. (5.72 x 6.99 x 6.99 cm)
MediumNephrite