"Sparrow in Flight" Handpainted Container with Cover by Deng Ying

Deng Ying is a Beijing based artist who created a series of paintings on porcelain objects for Pagoda Red that includes this petite porcelain box painted with a sparrow and farmer with wide brimmed hat. In China, sparrows are symbols of humility, with simple feathers and relatively unadorned features compared with other birds. Sparrows are also associated with strength, vitality and perseverance which might reference the labor of work, life and love. The artist worked on this series at the Chinese imperial kilns in Jingdezhen with the hope that these playful yet symbolic objects would touch many. The one-of-a-kind container is signed and presented in a hand-made cushioned wood presentation box.