A BRONZE GUANYIN QING DYNASTY, 17TH / 18TH CENTURY

elegantly seated in a gentle sway, her serene face turned to her left, dressed in long flowing robes draped from the shoulders and falling in undulous folds over her arms and legs leaving the torso bare, holding a scroll in her left hand, the other hand resting over her raised right knee, the backside of the robe centred with a two-character mark Shisou

Overall good condition, with some surface wear and light discoloration to the patina, consistent with age and handling, as visible on the catalogue photo. There is some typical minor pitting to surface. The index and the small finger of the right hand have tiny cracks indicating they may have been bent and been straighten up, but do not appear to have been broken.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This sensitively rendered model of Guanyin is closely related to models of Guanyin in Dehua porcelain, ivory and soapstone models, all of them from Fujian province. During the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, the cult of the White-Robed Guanyin, originating in Fujian, was extremely popular, resulting in a proliferation of figures produced in different media.

Many of the silver inlay bronzes with a Shisou mark are traditionally dated to the sixteenth or seventeenth century, including the four scholar’s objects in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, illustrated by Rose Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes, London, 1990, p. 64 where the author argues that Shisou may not have been an individual artist, but the trade mark of Jiangnan entrepreneurs (ibid. p. 65). Compare a bronze guanyin sold in these rooms 27th May 2014, lot 787.