Chinese Polychrome Harmony Fish, c. 1900

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Hand-crafted from reclaimed wood, this large koi sculpture is a traditional symbol of harmony and luck. For Buddhists, such a … Read more Hand-crafted from reclaimed wood, this large koi sculpture is a traditional symbol of harmony and luck. For Buddhists, such a fish represents a freedom from all restraints. Much of the popularity of fish as a decorative theme hinges on the fact that the word for fish (yu) is a homophone for abundance or surplus (yu). Over time, the depiction of fish in water has become symbolic of the idiom, yushui hexie (may you be as harmonious as fish and water).

The fish is sculpted with exceptional magnitude and built with a squat, rounded body. It is decorated with bold and colorful pigments in a palette of red, blue, and yellow. Set on a custom steel mount, this provincial koi charms with bright color and a beautifully worn texture. See less