Description
the seated 'Perfected Warrior' dressed in voluminous imperial robes with a dragon breast plate held together by a court belt, opening to reveal the armour across his chest, a scarf flowing around his head, with typical bare feet and long slicked back hair and straight neat beard, his face composed, hands resting on his knees, the bronze with traces of gilding, seated on a later hardwood stand
Dimensions
31cm high (including stand)
Footnote
Note:
Zhenwu was an important Daoist and Buddhist symbol, due to his identity as a warrior god and also protector of the North, an area at constant risk of invasion from foreign peoples and the Demon King. He was known as Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven and the Perfected Warrior. Ming emperors held him in very high esteem. The Yongle emperor attributed his success in the civil war to Zhenwu who was the subject of a state cult as protector of the Ming Dynasty and Yongle famously credited him with enabling him to seize the throne. From 1412 onwards the Yongle emperor commissioned a series of temples and shrines to be built on the highest peaks in the Mount Wudang area. At the top of Mount Wudang the Yongle emperor built Zijincheng or Forbidden City and in 1416 installed in the Golden Hall an image of Zhenwu larger but similar in appearance to this bronze.
When the Emperor commissioned a figure of Zhenwu, the artist questioned how Zhenwu might look, Yongle famously quipped, 'Look at me'. He had recently risen from a bath, so with bare feet, wet, slicked black hair and a relaxed pose, he modelled for the sculptor, what was to become the known and popular image and pose of the hero.
Another theory is that Zhenwu adopted a relaxed way to dress his hair and robes whilst in a spiritual retreat on Mount Wudang in Hebei Province. Other theories include that upon accepting his appointment as Emperor of Heaven he had been in a state of partial dress, combing his hair. After the acceptance, he found he could not put his hair up, realising that his present appearance was now unchangeable. This is how the depiction of Zhenwu tends to be recognisable, particularly with his long hair flowing down his back and bare feet. His pose is relaxed, yet imposing, with one hand resting open on his knee, the other hand facing down, at the same time regal yet not threatening. His robes, opening up at the chest, reveal his armour, a nod to his military past. His celestial scarf flows over his shoulders. He is often accompanied by a dragon and a snake around his feet, in this depiction absent. This particular pose became popular amongst later depictions of other gods such as Guandi, the God of War.
A similar figure of Zhenwu but with traces of paint, lacquer and gilding can be found at the British Museum, ref 1908,0725.2. Refer the recent exhibition catalogue "Ming 50 years that changed China", British Museum Press 2014 p. 116 & 117. Another example was sold by Christie's New York on 24 March 2011, lot 1642, as well as Sotheby's on 15 May 2013, lot 150.