Page 174 - 2020 Sept Important Chinese Art Sotheby's NYC Asia Week

9/2/2020 Important Chinese Art | Sotheby's

Impo rtant Chinese Art
New York |23 Sep 2020 | 09:00 AM EDT

Lot 616

A RARE PAIR OF PARCEL - GILT BRONZE FIGUR ES OF DANCING FOREIGNERS, MING DYNASTY,
DATED JIAJING BINGYIN YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 156 6
Estimate: 60,000 - 80,000 USD

A RARE PAIR OF PARCEL-GILT BRONZE FIGURES OF DANCING FOREIGNERS
MING DYNASTY, DATED JIAJING BINGYIN YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1566
明嘉靖丙寅年（1566年） 銅局部鎏金胡人舞者立像一對 《嘉靖丙寅年記》款

cast in mirror image of one another, each dancing atop a square low table with cabriole legs, one foot planted atop the table, the
other leg raised and bent at the knee, the foot pushing against an upright branch, the loose robe sweeping freely around the
cropped trousers and tied with a sash at the hips, falling open at the torso revealing the round paunch, the long sleeves extending
beyond the hands and accentuating the movement of the arms, the face with a large nose, round eyes and coiled hair at the
forehead, beard, and mustache, a small cap positioned at the crown of the head, the back cast with a six-character inscription
Jiajing bingyin nian ji (recorded in the bingyin year of the Jiajing reign) (2)

Height 15¾ in., 40 cm

Catalogue Note
These figures are cast in the form of two Central Asian men, their foreign identities indicated through their boldly rendered facial
features and the tightly coiled hair framing their faces. They are presented as entertainers in mid-dance with their arms and legs
moving rhythmically and jovial expressions upon their faces. A number of Ming dynasty bronze sculptures of this subject matter
survive, however, the present pair appears to be the only remaining example bearing a dated inscription.

Related bronze figures of foreigners include a 17th century example from the collection of Willard D. Straight, sold first at Christie's
New York, 20th September 2013, lot 1526, and later at Bonhams New York, 9th September 2019, lot 845; a Ming dynasty figure,

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