A RARE DATED BRONZE PORTRAIT FIGURE, WANLI MARK AND POSSIBLY OF THE PERIOD

A RARE DATED BRONZE PORTRAIT FIGURE
WANLI MARK AND POSSIBLY OF THE PERIOD
The finely cast figure is shown seated in a yokeback armchair, with his left hand resting on the arm of the chair and his feet resting on a footrest, wearing simple robes which fall in graceful folds, and a close-fitting cloth cap, his face cast with high cheekbones, a mustache and fine features set in a slight smile. The curved backsplat of the chair bears an incised dated ten-character inscription, Wanli dingwei (1607), wushen (1608), renwu (1582), and bingwu (1606), and there are traces of black and dark red lacquer.
9 in. (22.9 cm.) high

Provenance

James Buchanan Duke (1856-1925) Collection.
Doris Duke (1912-1993) Collection.
The Doris Duke Collection, Sold to Benefit the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Christie's New York, 21 September 2004, lot 125.