A RARE MING BRONZE LUOHAN GROUP

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A RARE MING BRONZE LUOHAN GROUP
EIGHT-CHARACTER DEDICATION WITH A CYCLICAL DATE CORRESPONDING TO A.D. 1496 AND OF THE PERIOD

The figure cast seated to one side of a gnarled spiral-shaped tree trunk, wearing a voluminous monk's robe which falls in naturalistic folds around the body, the facial features finely modelled with a shaven head and an urna between the eyes, in appreciating a hanging scroll bearing an encircled yinyang symbol above a further encircled trigram; the scroll suspended from a tree trunk with the lower half held in the deity's outstrectched palms, the nianhao cast along the upright tree-trunk, Hongzhi binchen Zhongguan Yauju zao, 'Made in the Hongzhi binchen year (for) Zhongguan Yaoju', and inscribed on the main trunk with you shiliu, 'right (number) sixteenth', traces of gilt remaining (olds breaks to tree trunk repaired)
15 3/4 in. (40 cm.) high

Lot Essay

The two-character Zhongguan from the nianhao mark is probably an offical title of Yaoju, who commissioned the casting of this bronze sculpture. The three-character you shiliu, 'right (number) sixteen', located on another part of the tree trunk indicates this is one of a set placed in a designated position on an altar.

(US$50,000-60,000)

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