A PAIR OF WOOD AND LACQUER ‘TWIN IMMORTALS OF HARMONY’ FIGURES, 17th – 18th CENTURYEach carved from a single piece of solid hardwood, coated with a decent lacquer gilding and occasional red pigmentChina, 17th - 18th century The boys depicted each looking directly forwards and standing on a base with curling waves carved in the deepest possible relief. Both are wearing elegant garments and once likely held a lotus pod or a vase in both hands.Boys were always strongly favored in Chinese society, and pairs of laughing boys carrying lotus pots are known as hehe erxian or the Twin Immortals of Harmony. They were the patron deities of Chinese merchants and particularly of potters, and frequently accompany Cai Shen, the God of Wealth.Shape: SculpturalWeight: 637.5 and 581 gramsDimensions: Height 24.5 cm eachCondition: Well preserved original gilding and lacquer coating with no restoration whatsoever; some minor losses, chipping and wear.Provenance: Important Austrian private collection, acquired in China before 1950. Old labels and inscriptions to bottom.一對木雕金漆和合二仙像，十七至十八世紀人像分別由一根獨立硬木雕刻而成，表面施金漆及紅色顔料中國， 十七至十八世紀造型：人物造像重量： 637.5 與 581 克尺寸： 高24.5 厘米 each品相：保存良好，原始金彩毫無修補，局部有缺失、裂口及磨損 來源：重要奧地利私人收藏，1950年前購於中國。底部可見老標簽和注釋。