Code: 11050
Dimensions:
Chinese Betrothal or Marriage Basket “Guo Da Li”
Woven and painted rattan and bamboo
Teochew, Southern China
Circa 1920
Measures:-
33 cm high x 23 cm diameter
A Chinese betrothal or marriage basket of typical form for the “Guo Da Li” ceremony. Painted with the traditional motifs of peony buds and blooms.
The “Guo Da Li” ceremony usually takes place a few weeks before the wedding and involves the groom presenting his bride’s family with various gifts in the basket to show his sincerity towards the marriage and to symbolise fertility and prosperity. Identical baskets are still made to this day in Teochew, Southern China, but attractive toning and wear suggest a date for this particular example of circa 1920s-40s.
