Su-shi Riding His Mule In Gilt Bronze, Ming Period, China, 17th Century

Representation of the dignitary Su-shi (Tong-P'o) in bronze cast using the lost wax method and stained with gold. Mercury gilding. Finely chiseled details. Very fine quality of casting, bronze with very thin walls, so thin that in some places there are metal gaps (top of the skull, neck of the mule, end of the sleeve of the dress, see photos) in addition 3 legs were previously repaired as shown by traces of tin soldering and lacquer. However, none of these defects alter the aesthetics of the statue. Su-shi was an important Chinese dignitary at the Song court. He was disgraced and sent into exile on the island of Hai-nan. He is often represented in China in painting traveling to this exile on the back of his mule but rarely in statuary. He was also a poet, calligrapher and scholar. Japan has often represented it in sculpture and calls it To-ba. Beautiful old patina, original gilding, accidents noted in the text. Chinese work from the Ming period, early 17th century or earlier. 33x25cm.