Published: Michael B. Weisbrod, Inc., Brochure, New York, 1992, p. 50-53, no. 14.

China, late 18^th - 19^th century. Modeled standing on a rockwork base, wearing hooded cloaks over long dresses decorated with cranes amid swirling clouds, open at the chest to reveal beaded pendants. The hands, feet, and chest in gilt, the dresses embellished with pomegranates, Buddha’s hand citrons, and peaches. The faces with downcast eyes below gently arched eyebrows and finely enameled hair. (2)

Provenance: A private collection in New England, USA. Michael B. Weisbrod, acquired from the above. Michael B. Weisbrod is a noted scholar of Chinese art, who has published extensively on the subject over a time span of more than 50 years. In 1972, Michael joined his father Dr. Gerald Weisbrod’s Asian art gallery in Toronto, Canada. The father-and-son team opened their New York location on Madison Avenue in 1977, and during the next 45 years, the gallery held a significant number of exhibitions, selling to museums and private collectors across the globe, eventually adding further locations in Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Condition: Very good condition with some old wear and manufacturing flaws as expected. Each figure with a pierced aperture in the left hand of which one was filled. The gilt renewed in some areas.

Weight: 1,434 g and 1,460 g
Dimensions: Height 35.9 cm and 36.1 cm

The ladies represent the deity of mercy, Guanyin, who is typically depicted wearing long flowing gowns with a hood over her head and a necklace on her chest. She often stands on a rockwork base that is reminiscent of Pu Tao Island, where she lived as Queen of the Southern Seas.

Figural representations in cloisonné enamel appear to be extremely rare and only a few related examples have been published. According to Sir Harry Garner in Chinese and Japanese Cloisonné Enamels, page 93, the earliest human figures made of cloisonné date back to the seventeenth century.

Literature comparison:
A pair of seated female figures, from the A.W. Bahr Collection, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 54.154.1a–c and 54.154.2a, b, dated to the Qianlong period or later, are illustrated by B. Quette, Cloisonné: Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming and Qing, Singapore, 2011, p. 297, no. 142.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 September 2013, lot 1632
Price: USD 43,750 or approx. EUR 54,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare pair of cloisonné enamel figures of female immortals, late 18th/19th century
Expert remark: Compare the related subject, facial features, rockwork bases, and sizes (38.6 cm)



清代一對罕見銅胎掐絲琺瑯觀音立像
中國，十八世紀末至十九世紀。觀音站在山水紋底座上，身穿連帽斗篷，長裙上飾有仙鶴圖案，漩渦狀雲紋，胸前敞開，露出瓔珞吊墜。手、足、胸鍍金，衣飾石榴、佛手、桃子等紋飾。髮紋精美，雙眼微閉，眉毛微彎。(2)

出版: Michael B. Weisbrod，Inc.，Brochure，紐約，1992年，頁50-53，編號14。

來源：美國新英格蘭私人收藏；Michael B. Weisbrod購於上述收藏。Michael B. Weisbrod是一位著名的中國藝術學者，在五十多年的時間內發表了大量有關中國藝術的文章。1972 年，Michael 加入了他父親 Gerald Weisbrod 博士在加拿大多倫多的亞洲藝術畫廊。這對父子團隊於 1977 年在紐約麥迪遜大道開設了他們的藝廊，在接下來的四十五年裡，藝廊舉辦了大量展覽，向全球的博物館和私人收藏家出售作品，最終在上海和香港也開設了分店。
品相：狀況非常好，如預期的那樣有一些磨損和製造缺陷。每個人物的左手都有一個穿孔，其中一個經過填充。局部鎏金經過翻新。

重量：分別爲1,434克與1,460 克
尺寸：高 35.9 厘米與36.1 厘米

觀世音菩薩身著飄逸長袍，頭戴兜帽，胸前佩戴瓔珞，居住在南海。

景泰藍此類人物形像極為罕見，根據 Harry Garner 爵士在《中國和日本景泰藍琺瑯》中的記載，頁93，最早的景泰藍人物雕像可以追溯到十七世紀。

文獻比較：
一對清乾隆時期或較晚婦人坐像，收藏於A.W. Bahr Collection，大都會博物館，編號54.154.1a–c和54.154.2a,b，見B. Quette，《Cloisonné: Chinese Enamels from the Yuan，Ming and Qing》，新加坡，2011年，頁297，編號142。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2013年9月20日，lot 1632
價格：USD 43,750（相當於今日EUR 54,000）
描述：十八世紀末至十九世紀一對銅胎掐絲琺瑯仙女立像
專家評論：比較相近的主題、面部特徵、山水底座，以及尺寸相似(38.6 厘米)。

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