Lacquered wooden ornament depicting a high official with his ‘eagle wing’ hat and a boy holding a branch of pomegranates. The combination of an official and a boy leads to the rebus ‘Leading one’s son to court’ (daizi shangchao) which expresses the hope that the son may become an high official just like his father. The pomegranates (shiliu) in the boys hand show the seeds inside which in China is considered as ‘Revealing a hundred sons inside’ (liukai baizi). This ornament once formed part of a piece of furniture or bed and dates from the late Qing period (1644 – 1912) or early Republic (1912 – 1947). Height including stand 16 cm. Width 8 cm. Depth 3 cm.