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18th-19th century

Saucer - Three Star Gods

Artist/maker unknown

Image 1 of 21 / 2

In the East Asian cosmology, it was believed that Good Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity were ensured by Three Stars: Fu star (the planet Jupiter), Lu star (the First star of the Big Dipper), and Shou star (Canopus, the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina), respectively. The Three Stars are usually shown in their personified images as Daoist Immortals. They often became subjects for paintings and ceramic decoration, as seen in this piece, expressing a wish for a good life.

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Artist/maker unknown, Saucer - Three Star Gods, 18th-19th century | Philadelphia Art Museum