Page 18 - Bonhams, FIne Chinese Art, Linda Wrigglesworth Collection, May 13, 2021 London

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A RARE AND LARGE GILT-BRONZE HEAD OF A GUARDIAN
Yuan/early Ming Dynasty
The fierce face finely cast with large bulbous eyes beneath protruding
furrowed brows and large nose defined by wide nostrils between
full cheeks, above long moustaches and pursed lips, all flanked by
pendulous ears, the hair framed by a curved diadem, metal stand.
13cm (5 1/8in) high. (2).

£15,000 - 20,000
CNY140,000 - 180,000

元/明早期 銅鎏金天王頭像

This powerfully-cast head would have belonged to a large Buddhist
figure of one of the four ‘Celestial Kings of the Directions’, Tianwang,
the Guardians of the Four Quarters of the world.

The Heavenly Kings were originally placed on the four sides of stupas,
guarding the Buddhist relics inside. However, in China, the figures
took the form of various Chinese warriors and would have been
situated at the entrance to a temple in order to protect against evil
spirits and barbarian invasions. The imagery of the Four Heavenly
Kings was also adopted into the Daoist tradition. In addition, each king
was associated with a specific direction and with the ‘Four Heraldic
Animals’ of Chinese astrology, ensuring favourable weather for crops
and peace throughout the land; see P.B.Welch, Chinese Art: A Guide
to Motifs and Visual Imagery, Vermont, 2008, p.194. ‘The Hall of
the Heavenly Kings’ is a standard component of Chinese Buddhist
temples and gilt-bronze figures of the Tianwang were often placed in
important temples.

Compare with a related gilt-bronze head of a Heavenly Guardian,
Ming dynasty, in Compton Verney House, Warwick, acc.no.CVCSC
0244.2.A. See also a large gilt-bronze head of Dvarapala, Yuan
dynasty, in the British Museum, acc.no.1960,0729.1.

© The Trustees of the British Museum

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
16 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.