十七世紀 水陸畫監門清源妙道真君像一幅 設色絹本 鏡框

ink and color on silk, vibrantly portraying Yang Jian wearing armor beneath richly patterned robes decorated with Ming-style dragons and eleborate floral designs, holding his characteristic three-pronged double-bladed lance, surrounded by swirling multi-colored clouds

A & J Speelman, London, circa 2000.

The painting is framed and has not been examined outside of the frame. There are numerous horizontal and vertical crease lines with minor paint loss along their lengths, but none distract from the overall beauty of the painting. There are small patches of loss to the silk surface, some with repairs, most noticeable on the figure's chin, the top of the painting, the area by the figure's right knee, and the bottom of the painting. There is wear to the pigments, especially to the blue and green. The edges are possibly trimmed. The wear is age appropriate.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Paintings such as the present lot were painted in sets made for the Water and Land Deliverance Ritual, in which deities from higher realms are called upon to deliver beings from lower realms of existence from their suffering.  Although the ritual was primarily Buddhist, the divinities called upon included not only Buddhist deities, but also Daoist gods, founders of professions and personifications of natural forces. For examples depicting multiple deities, see Stephen Little, et. al., Taoism and the Arts of China, Chicago, 2000, nos. 78-81.

The ritual was intended to ease the suffering of tormented souls in the underworld and give them a better rebirth, and also to gain merit for those commissioning it, thereby allowing them to avoid the worst torments of hell. 

Sets of such paintings included Daoist deities up until the Northern Song dynasty, but disappeared around the time of Emperor Huizong. Daoist gods and nature deities reappeared in Ming dynasty sets. For examples see Stephen Little, op. cit, nos. 84-86.  

Sets could include as few as ten paintings, or as many as one hundred and forty. The present lot, portraying only one figure, would have formed part of a larger set.  A partial set, with each painting including only one or two figures, was sold in these rooms, 22nd September 2005, lot 354.

For another example of a painting depicting Yang Jian, who in some legends is the nephew of the Daoist Jade Emperor and is venerated by Chinese opera troupes as their protector, see Paintings for Water-and-Land Service of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Beijing, 2006, no. 69.