PAIR OF STUCCO FRESCO PANELS WITH FEMALE DEITIES MING DYNASTY 明 彩繪西王母圖壁畫（兩幅） each rectangular panel painted in polychrome pigments highlighting the gilded ornamentation with gesso relief, depicting Xiwangmu accompanied by a celestial maiden, both wearing brightly coloured flowing robes with billowing scarves and crowned with jewelled headpieces, one Queen Mother of the West sitting atop an alerted mythical lion, holding a white hare in her hands, the other sitting on a white horse looking back to the deity, she holds a wish-fulfilling flaming jewel on right palm, and a ruyi sceptre on left hand, all above swirling clouds, framed (80cm x 45cm each) Qty: (2) Provenance: from an important Scottish collection, acquired from Phillips, Edinburgh, sale no. 2452, 11 April 1986, lot 33. With the original auction catalogue as illustrated. Note: In Daoist mythology, Xiwangmu 西王母 'Queen Mother of the West' is the queen of the immortals in charge of female deities who dwell in a fairyland called Xihua 'West Flower'. Often depicted celebrating her birthday with the Eight Immortals and Shoulao, the God of Longevity, symbolising her image of immortality. Other archaeological materials also show that the icons of the Queen Mother of the West do not appear as a single isolated major goddess. The icons of the Goddess appeared in various configurations with numeral subordinate animals intertwined with the myth of immortality. In which, the white hare is one of the most iconic animals associated with the Goddess. In one of the examples offered in this lot, the Goddess holds a white hare closely to her chest. The white hare is known as Yutu, the Jade Rabbit who lives on the Moon and constantly pounding the elixir of life. Wish-fulfilling jewel (Sanskrit: Cintamani) is a common symbol in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Often held by deities to entail the divine duty and function of the immortals and enlightened ones. In the other example offered here, the Goddess holds a flaming jewel symbolising her compassion to liberate others from suffering, and a ruyi sceptre shows a mainstream Chinese influence on the icons of the Deities. Accompanying this lot is an original Phillips auction catalogue dated 11 April 1986 with an illustration of the pair of panels. Compare with a polychrome fresco of females, Ming dynasty, sold at Christie's New York, 22 March 2019, lot 1771; a fresco panel with female deities, Ming dynasty, sold at Bonhams London, 5 November 2020, lot 82; and a wall fresco fragment of two ladies, Mind dynasty, sold at Bonhams London, 7 Jun 2021, lot 525 ---------------------以下为软件翻译，仅供参考---------------------