Pair Chinese Ming Dynasty Glazed Buddhist Lions and Attendants, 17th Century

Chinese late Ming dynasty bronze figure of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, also known as Guanyin (Quan Yin, Kwan Yin, Kuan Yin), 17th century, China  The figure well cast in two ...

A decidingly charming Chinese polychromed and gilt cast bronze figure of Nanhai Guanyin, Guanyin of the South Sea, Ming Dynasty, 16th/17th century, China. Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion, is portrayed here as a beatific figure seated upon a raised lotus pedestal over waves. Guanyin is dressed in heavy robes, and wears an elaborate headdress. The small figure of Amitabha Buddha in the headdress positively identifies this figure as Guanyin. Guanyin rests one hand in his lap, holding a cup of pure water said to be able to alleviate all suffering. His other hand is raised, holding a willow branch which is used to sprinkle the healing waters. The two lotus blossoms to either side of Guanyin would originally have supported figures of the acolytes...

An attractive carved wood figure of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, known as Guanyin in China, late Ming Dynasty, early 17th century, China. Guanyi...

A striking pair of large Chinese glazed and painted pottery figures, Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), circa 16th century, China. The impressive and realistically modeled figures each portrayed standing upright upon a sancai (three color) glazed pedestal of kang table form. The man is dressed in a short black surcoat over a long robe and pants, a smart cap upon his head. His face is warm and welcoming, with wide eyes and a slight smile on his lips. He holds his hands out in front of him, palms up, almost as if shrugging, though presumably originally holding an object or offering, now lost. The woman of slightly smaller stature, and dressed in a longer surcoat over a long robe and skirt. She wears a fitted cap upon her head. Her hands also held out in front, grasping long lost objects. Her face is slightly more severe, with a somewhat pinched look, and slight frown upon her lips. The size of these figures is remarkable, as is the realism and attention to detail, almost as if they were modeled after real people, as opposed to the more common and generic Ming Dynasty pottery...

Ming Dynasty stone foo dog from the revered Beijing Summer Palace, dating back to the end of the 17th century. This magnificent sculpture depicts a powerful lion, imbued with the myt...

A carved wood Budda from the Shanxi region, made during the Ming Dynasty. The carved figure has an ancient polychrome finish.

This is a rare Chinese Ming Dynasty bronze Fu Dog figural bronze tripod lidded censer used for incense. It has a Fu Dog or Qilin figural top lid with superbly carved details. The Fu ...

A fine set of a six court attendants as in the Forbidden City of Beijing, elegantly dressed in a Green & Red Daopao – a traditional men’s formal attire from the Ming Dynasty dated 1368-1643 A.D. – with glazed robes and Red Pigment remains in their hat and belts. They stand in an honorary posture atop a red plinth, some with orifices in their hands, where spirit objects were placed to comfort or satisfy the deceased. The heads are detachable, as often seen on the larger figures from this period. They are accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, and Certificate of Expertise by Jean-Yves Nathan - a leading authority specialized in Far East Archaeology from the CEDEA (The European Confederation of Art Experts). Burial figurines of graceful dancers, mystical beasts, and everyday objects reveal both how people in early China approached death and how they lived. Since people viewed the afterlife as an extension of worldly life, these figurines, called mingqi, sometimes referred as “spirit utensils” or “vessels of ghosts” disclose details of routine existence and provide insights into belief systems over a thousand-year period. The Ming dynasty was the ruling dynasty of China – then known as the Empire of the Great Ming – for 276 years (1368–1644 AD). Founded by Chu Yuan-chang, the rebel leader that was successful in removing the mongols from the throne. Chinese control was re-asserted in China and eastern Asia. Literature became more important, schools were created, and the justice system was reformed. The Ming dynasty is described by some as "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history,” was the last imperial dynasty in China ruled by ethnic Han Chinese. The practice of burying ceramic objects with the deceased went into decline from the 10th to the 14th Century AD. There was a revival in placing miniature representations of glazed terracotta objects such a furniture, food offerings, horses, miniature statues...