A BRONZE FIGURE OF XIWANGMU, MING DYNASTY China, 1368-1644. The deity standing atop a rectangular base supported on four short feet, holding in both hands a circular dish supporting a finely cast lotus flower. She is wearing a long flowing robe with wide sleeves, neatly incised with foliate designs at the hems and long scarves billowing at the base, her chest with a ruyi apron. Her face with a serene expression marked by almond-shaped eyes and full lips forming a subtle smile. Her neatly incised hair elegantly falling in strands over the shoulders and pulled up into a high chignon behind the phoenix headdress.

Provenance: Old Viennese private collection, built over several generations between 1910 and 1975, thence by descent in the same family.
Condition: Good condition with some wear and casting flaws, remnants of old gilt and pigment, the figure leaning slightly, one foot with a small old repair, minor nicks, dents and losses, light scratches.

Weight: 1,566 g
Dimensions: Height 27.6 cm

This sculpture is cast as Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West), who was one of the oldest female deities of China. In some early classic texts, such as Shanhai Jing (The Classic of Mountains and Seas, finished in the 4th century BC), Xiwangmu was depicted as wild and feral befitting her ferocious personality. She emerged as a fully-fledged Daoist goddess in the scriptures of the Shangqing (Highest Purity) school of religious Daoism during the Eastern Jin dynasty (4th century). Xiwangmu is a patron deity of women and a divine teacher who could control the length of people's lives, with the cultivation of virtue and immortality. In the Ming dynasty, her appearance further developed as a serene female figure, usually similar to other female deities' faces, such as Guanyin and Bixia Yuanjun.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 27 May 2021, lot 18
Price: HKD 165,000 or approx. EUR 19,900 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large bronze standing figure of Xiwangmu, Ming dynasty
Expert remarks: Note the closely related appearance of the figure, including a similar phoenix headdress, ruyi apron, and rectangular base, whereas the deity is holding a different attribute in her hands and is of larger size (46 cm high).


明代青銅西王母
中國, 1368-1644年。西王母頭戴三青鳥鳳冠，頂束高髮髻，面相豐滿圓潤，細眉修長，眼瞼低垂，櫻桃小口，神情古雅莊嚴。耳垂圓璫，繒帶從耳際垂肩而下，外罩大衣，胸前如意形瓔珞，前衣結帶，垂褡自然，衣紋流暢。雙手於腹前捧一法器，衣裳下緣翻捲邊角起。神態自若，似俯視眾生，端莊而祥和。

來源：維也納私人老收藏，在1910 年與1975年期間，經過幾代人的共同努力建立，在同一家族保存至今。
品相：品相良好，一些磨損和鑄造瑕疵，舊鍍金和顏料殘留，人物略微傾斜，一隻腳有小修復，輕微劃痕、凹痕和缺損。
重量：1,566 克
尺寸：高27.6 厘米

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港邦翰思,2021年5月27日, lot 18
價格：HKD 165,000 （相當於今日EUR 19,900）
描述：明銅西王母塑像
專家評論：相近的外觀，例如鳳冠、如意形瓔珞和長方形底座。但手捧不同的法器，尺寸較大(46 厘米)。