Maps--Mount Putuo, Zhenjiang province

585 x 955mm. and 625 x 1055mm., coloured woodblock print on paper, silked, one originally folded, loss of paper affecting some Chinese characters

All Under Heaven 14 and 15

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where 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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

TWO RARE DEPICTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST FACE OF MOUNT PUTUO (Putuoshan, 普陀山). These two views are examples of folk art from the late imperial times to the early twentieth century.

"Local craftspeople in workshops around the country used wooden blocks to publish inexpensive prints for the decorative and religious needs for both commoners and royalty. Because the works were relatively inexpensive, most people used them to decorate their homes, taking down old ones and putting up new ones every year, especially at the time of the lunar new year. These ephemera commonly depicted figures from popular lore and religion and articulated auspicious themes, such as wishes for protection from evil spirits, success in imperial exams and the birth of male sons. The two versions of The Territory of Mount Putuo on the Southern Sea probably served as inexpensive visual guides and souvenirs for Buddhist pilgrims who travelled to Mount Putuo in the final years of the Qing dynasty. By the tenth century, many Chinese associated the island with the Mount Potolaka of Indian Buddhist mythology believing that Mount Putuo was the home of one of the most important salvific figures of all of East Asian Buddhism, the Bodhisattva Guanyin. The island thus became an extremely popular destination for Buddhist pilgrims" (All Under Heaven).