Description Four Chinese dodou (under garments) or bellybands in different sizes. The first has a red base with a mythical beast and butterflies. It has a band of purple and teal stripes with swastikas and pomegranates leading to a black collar with butterflies. The second has a black base with royal blue accents, a female figure coming out of lotus flower, and other floral embroidery. The third has a red base and depicts a man without a shoe on one foot with a halberd and accompanied by a horse, and a phoenix coming downward with something in its beak. Its top element has a black base with a deer. The fourth has a red base with a tiger and a lotus flower and a scalloped collar. Dimensions are: Tiger and lotus dodou: 12 3/4 inches tall X 14 3/8 inches wide; 32.3 cm tall X 36.5 cm wide. Mythical beast with butterflies: 15 1/2 inches tall X 17 1/2 inches wide; 39.3 cm tall X 44.5 cm wide. One shoe man with phoenix: 17 1/2 inches tall X 20 1/4 inches wide; 44.4 cm tall X 51.4 cm wide. All measurements are approximate.
Condition Report Black fabric on the dodou with one shoe man is separating.
Provenance From the old collection of Mr. William Wu, San Francisco, USA. William Wu (1939-2007) was born in Shanghai and moved to Hong Kong with his family when he was young. In 1957, he was admitted to the Department of Philosophy at Princeton University. Because of his interest in history, in 1979 he received a doctorate in art history from Princeton University focusing on the Chinese artist Gong Xian. After graduation, he was successively employed as a professor of art history at Dartmouth, Oberlin, and other colleges. He later settled in San Francisco, California, where he presided over the Chinese Cultural Center, held regular cultural exhibitions, and devoted himself to introducing Chinese culture and artists to Western audiences. During the 1980s, he traveled between San Francisco and Shanghai and became an important bridge for cultural and artistic exchanges. Professor William Wu and the famous movie star Jet Li are distant relatives, and he was a great help in the early years of Jet Li's career development. Mr. Wu maintained contact with Jet Li during his life.