959 A RARE BRONZE FIGURAL ‘FOREIGNERS’ CENSER, the spherical body with a band of cloud scrolls and a pierced cover with a Buddhistic lion finial, flanked by two standing figures of West Asiatic appearance facing each other, the body with a six character Xuande mark, Ming, 7” long, with an associated quatrefoil carved stand
The depiction of so-called ‘foreigners’ of West Asiatic appearance in Chinese art dates back to the Tang Dynasty. This fascination was stimulated by the increased presence of foreign traders in China and was developed into a popular motif in the decorative arts.
For a related example see Beurdeley, 'The Chinese Collector through the Centuries', fig.88 p.163. A cloisonne censer in the Palace Museum Beijing is also comparable.
£20,000-30,000
134