A BRONZE OF AN EMACIATED IMMORTAL, 17TH CENTURY

A BRONZE FIGURE OF AN EMACIATED IMMORTAL, 17TH CENTURY
China, late Ming to early Qing dynasty. Cast standing barefooted on a pierced craggy rock plinth, holding a gnarly staff with a long rosary and a folded book with a heart-shaped cross-section, the long flowing robe opening to reveal his bony chest.

Provenance: From an English private collection.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and casting flaws, some minor notches on the staff as well as the rocky plinth. Fine, naturally grown dark patina.

Weight: 1,942 g
Dimensions: Height 27.8 cm

The immortal's bushy eyebrows, beard, and other details are finely incised, and the bony feet and ribs are impressively executed. The naturally grown patina lets the metal appear almost like wood!

Auction result comparison: Compare with a similar figure of the famous Daoist immortal Li Tieguai sold by Sotheby's Hong Kong in Later Chinese Bronzes from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Gerard Hawthorn, lot 53, for HKD $118,750.

瘦骨仙人銅像，十七世紀
中國，明末至清初。 仙人赤腳站在一塊岩石底座上，肩上扛著一隻木杖，木杖上挂著一串念珠，手裏還有一本折疊的書，長袍敞開露出了嶙峋胸骨。

來源：英國私人收藏
品相：品相極好，輕微磨損和鑄造缺陷，人像和岩石上都有一些輕微刻痕。天然深色包漿細膩。

重量：1,942 克
尺寸：高27.8 厘米

拍賣結果比較：一件相似的鉄拐李像售于香港蘇富比2015年12月3日《好善簃珍藏明清銅器》拍號53，成交價HKD $118,750。