12th Sep, 2025 11:00
Three Single Owner Collections of Asian Art
2
A SMALL GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF A STORYTELLER, WESTERN HAN DYNASTY
Sold for €390
including Buyer's Premium
Published: Koos de Jong, Small China: Early Chinese Miniatures, 2021, p. 97, fig. 64.
China, 206 BC-9 AD. Boldly cast, the kneeling performer raises his right hand with the palm extended, while the left rests gently upon his thigh, clad in modest robes with long pleated sleeves, and fastened securely across the chest. The round head of the storyteller bearing a whimsical expression, distinguished by slanted eyes, a broad nose, and a slightly parted mouth, all surmounted by a pointed hat.
Provenance: Italian private collection. 2013. Collection of Dr. Koos de Jong, acquired from the above. A Dutch art historian and collector, Dr. Koos de Jong has worked across several cultural institutions in the Netherlands from 1976, serving as the director of the European Ceramic Work Center in Den Bosch between 1999-2009, before retiring in 2009. He has authored hundreds of articles and several books on Dutch fine and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the modern era. His scholarly interests expanded to Chinese material culture, culminating in the 2013 publication of Dragon & Horse: Saddle Rugs and Other Horse Tack from China and Beyond, a pioneering study on Chinese equestrian gear. Continuing this line of inquiry, his more recent book published in 2021, Small China: Early Chinese Miniatures, explores the largely overlooked world of Chinese miniature objects, combining archaeological research with art historical insight.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, with ancient wear and casting irregularities. Traces of weathering, sparse nicks, light surface scratches, and rubbing to gilding. The bronze covered in a rich, naturally grown patina with malachite and soil encrustations.
Weight: 92.7 g
Dimensions: 5.6 cm
The oldest known bronze miniatures date back to the Shang Dynasty and became increasingly abundant during the Eastern Zhou. Like their larger counterparts, these bronze pieces, often combined with other inlaid materials, reflected a marked desire for luxury. For the same reason, many objects were also gilded or silvered. This was not yet achieved through fire gilding or silvering, but rather by applying a thin layer of these precious metals, which the bronze caster or goldsmith would carefully pat onto the surface. Among human figures, the so-called ‘mingqi’, sometimes referred to as ‘spirit objects’, were by far the most prevalent. Like contemporary jade figures, they primarily depict servants, storytellers, musicians, and dancers, motifs that persisted through the Qin and Han dynasties, as exemplified by the present storyteller figure.
Published: Koos de Jong, Small China: Early Chinese Miniatures, 2021, p. 97, fig. 64.
China, 206 BC-9 AD. Boldly cast, the kneeling performer raises his right hand with the palm extended, while the left rests gently upon his thigh, clad in modest robes with long pleated sleeves, and fastened securely across the chest. The round head of the storyteller bearing a whimsical expression, distinguished by slanted eyes, a broad nose, and a slightly parted mouth, all surmounted by a pointed hat.
Provenance: Italian private collection. 2013. Collection of Dr. Koos de Jong, acquired from the above. A Dutch art historian and collector, Dr. Koos de Jong has worked across several cultural institutions in the Netherlands from 1976, serving as the director of the European Ceramic Work Center in Den Bosch between 1999-2009, before retiring in 2009. He has authored hundreds of articles and several books on Dutch fine and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the modern era. His scholarly interests expanded to Chinese material culture, culminating in the 2013 publication of Dragon & Horse: Saddle Rugs and Other Horse Tack from China and Beyond, a pioneering study on Chinese equestrian gear. Continuing this line of inquiry, his more recent book published in 2021, Small China: Early Chinese Miniatures, explores the largely overlooked world of Chinese miniature objects, combining archaeological research with art historical insight.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, with ancient wear and casting irregularities. Traces of weathering, sparse nicks, light surface scratches, and rubbing to gilding. The bronze covered in a rich, naturally grown patina with malachite and soil encrustations.
Weight: 92.7 g
Dimensions: 5.6 cm
The oldest known bronze miniatures date back to the Shang Dynasty and became increasingly abundant during the Eastern Zhou. Like their larger counterparts, these bronze pieces, often combined with other inlaid materials, reflected a marked desire for luxury. For the same reason, many objects were also gilded or silvered. This was not yet achieved through fire gilding or silvering, but rather by applying a thin layer of these precious metals, which the bronze caster or goldsmith would carefully pat onto the surface. Among human figures, the so-called ‘mingqi’, sometimes referred to as ‘spirit objects’, were by far the most prevalent. Like contemporary jade figures, they primarily depict servants, storytellers, musicians, and dancers, motifs that persisted through the Qin and Han dynasties, as exemplified by the present storyteller figure.
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