Antique Chinese wood Buddhism Guanyin statue Ming-Qing 15th-18th C - provenance

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Antique Chinese wood Buddhism Guanyin statue Ming-Qing 15th-18th C - provenance:
$3800.00

Chinese antiquecarved wood and gesso GuanyinBuddhist temple statue - Ming - early Qing
Description:A masterpiece of Chinese naturalism, this large and astonishingly well-carvedwood Chinese Guanyin Buddhist temple figure features the Goddess of Mercy in the classical pose known as the Royal Relaxation. The figure exudes a powerful sense of serenity, and has a very complex and authentic patina.The back of the statue has a notch cut in for anchoring to a temple niche. The base shows extensive authentic wear, and much of the surface gesso remains are petrified with age. What I mean by that is there is a micro-crystal lattice of some kind in some of the surface which bespeaks some sort of petrification.
How old is this piece?In all likelihood it is Ming, and on the early side at that.Stylistically this piece with its amazingly high degree of anatomical realism consistent with work from c. 1400-1500. However, since I have yet to have conduct C14 testing, I must err on the side of caution and give myself a few centuries worth of of wiggle room. Therefore I am prepared to guarantee a date of pre-1800 for this piece, which of course would be mid-Qing.The next stop for this piece will either be its new owner\'s home or to a radiocarbon facility for C14 dating. I am going to keep this item listed while I simultaneously pursue radiocarbon dating, which entails drilling a small sample from the base.
What do experts say about this piece?I showed the photos available in the slideshow below to an American Chinese art expert named whom I have known for 17 years and who specializes in wood items, particularly classical Chinese furniture, but also architectural pieces and wooden statuary. Now, this expert dismisses almost much everything shown to him as fake--and rightfully so. Almost all the pictures sent to him for evaluation are of fakes. However, he looked at the same slideshow photos from the link below and, without knowing anything of the provenancebesidesthat I currently own it, had this to say about this statue:\"It looks pretty good to me. There is a lot of things that are about right.\" --again this is from a leading expert who pans almost everything that comes across his desk as a fake, sothese comments may be taken as very encouraging. I am more motivated than ever to have the piece C14 dated, but I will let this listing finish out, since I listed the piece before I got this expert opinion.
What provenance, if any, is there for this piece?According to the Israeli seller from whom I obtained this piece, he purchased it from the estate of a man namedYehudah Horam, who collected it in China, circa 1970.Also according to this same source, Horam was the head of Asia Division of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1967-77, a time frame which encompassed the entire Cultural Revolution.Fake provenances abound, of course, but the piece itself appears authentic, which in turns helps to corroborate this attribution. The collection date is also highly encouraging. During this time peiod, China was caught in the grips of Mao\'s Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution. Contact with the West was very limited, and a handful of diplomats operating largely through unofficial channels were among the very few outsiders who were able to set foot in China. Also during this time thousands of temples and their priceless art treasures were destroyed in a zealous purge of the so-called \"Four Olds\". Anything pertaining to traditional Chinese culture was denounced as counterrevolutionary and/or bourgoise and/or the product of superstition (especially religious art). Thankfully, due to China\'s vast size and long history, the Red Guards couldn\'t destroy everything, try as they did. Some pieces escaped the burn pile to be sold to foreigners. Sellers were naturally highly motivated in those days, sinceduring that timeit was a very unhealthy practice to collect or in any way admire antiques. On the other side of the market dynamic, international demand was a tiny fraction of what it is today, so authentic pieces could be had at what might literally be called \"fire sale\" prices.Within this context,authentic Chinese statues from the Ming Dynasty were available to the handful foreigners who could somehow make their way to China (again, these were the diplomats).Horam acquired this marvelous piece within this historically unique context.
Can I see more pictures of this piece?Yes! Additional photos are available in slideshow format with extreme age: one hand missing. Large split in front, surface very worn with traces of polychrome gesso.
Weight: 15 lb. (7 kg)
Dimensions:Height: 27\" (67 cm)Width: 18\" (45 cm)Depth: 12\" (30 cm)
Refund policy:offer with confidence. This is pre-1800 or your money back.Frankly, I am rather reluctant to sell without having first carbon dated it, and would accept a return with no questions asked.