China, 12^th century. Cast in his characteristically vigorous pose, the god of examinations holds a writing brush in his raised right hand and an ingot in the left, the foot balancing a dou vessel from which extends the celestial constellation of the Big Dipper. The head with wild, spiked tufts of hair, above a fierce expression formed from fleshy facial features.

Provenance: A notable private collector in Kensington, London, United Kingdom. Sotheby’s New York, 11 September 2019, lot 786, bought-in at an estimate of USD 60,000-80,000.
Condition: Overall as expected and commensurate with age. Extensive wear, minimal losses with associated replacements, few dents and nicks, light scratches. Some ancient touchups to lacquer gilding, but most of it has remained intact. For an age of well over 800 years, the present sculpture should be considered as in an excellent state of preservation.
Scientific Analysis Report: A thermoluminescence report issued by Oxford Authentication on 3 August 2018, based on sample no. C118j38, sets the firing date of one sample taken at 600 – 1000 years ago and is consistent with the dating of this lot. A copy of the signed report, issued by Oxford Authentication, accompanies this lot.

Weight: 3,990 g
Dimensions: Height 38.7 cm (the figure) and 43.6 cm (incl. inset)

The writhing body outfitted in celestial sashes and a garment with diaper-patterned panels, the immortal perched on the back of a dragon-fish emerging from turbulent waves, all raised on a bracket base.

Identified by the writing brush held in his raised right hand and his iconic posture, Kui Xing ('Chief Star') is a Daoist deity worshipped to obtain academic success. As the Chinese character Kui is composed of the ideograph for ‘demon’ and the ideograph for ‘ladle’, Kui Xing is often portrayed with a demonic appearance, a hideous face, a horn-like protuberance on his head, and a disproportionate body. According to legend, he was once a mortal scholar with outstanding literary skills but repeatedly failed the civil service examinations due to his repulsive appearance. Out of frustration and humiliation, Kui Xing threw himself into a river, where he was saved by a mythical monster, Ao. He then ascended to the Big Dipper constellation and became the stellar patron of the literati. From the Song dynasty onward, scholarship was the major determinant of a young man's rank and social status, as candidates for the state bureaucracy were selected through written examinations. Kui Xing, as the God of Literature, was tremendously popular among exam candidates.

The Big Dipper is a large asterism consisting of seven bright stars of the constellation Ursa Major. Four define a "bowl" or "body", and three define a "handle" or "head". It is recognized as a distinct grouping in many cultures.

Expert’s note: The present figure compares favorably with a considerably later bronze recently sold at Christie's (see Auction result comparison). The pose and expression are similar, and both are holding pen and ingot while standing with one foot atop a dragon-fish emerging from a rectangular stepped base. Clearly, the iconic design of the present lot - one of the oldest depictions of Kui Xing having survived - served as inspiration to the 17^th-century figure at Christie's and many others like it.

Auction result comparison: Compare a related but considerably later and larger (54 cm high) gilt-lacquered bronze figure of Kui Xing, with similar expression and pose, dated to the 17^th century, at Christie’s London in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 9 May 2017, lot 18, sold for GBP 52,500.

宋代鎏金漆魁斗星君踢斗銅像
中國，十二世紀。魁星單足立於鰲頭之上，另一腳翹起托著一個斗，一手執筆，寓意魁星點鬥、獨佔鰲頭。青面獠牙魁星，暴眼粗眉，三絡赤髮向上飄飛，全然一副鬼模樣。其身披如意紋雲肩，神姿灑脫，動態十足。

來源：英國倫敦肯辛頓知名私人收藏家，紐約蘇富比2019年9月11日 lot 786，估價 USD 60,000-80,000.
品相：總體上和預期一樣。大面積磨損，輕微缺損，少量凹痕和刻痕，輕微劃痕。 一些鎏金漆經過修補，但大部分都無損。 相對於超過 800 年的歷史，現在的造像應該被認為處於良好的保存狀態。
科學檢測報告：隨附一份出具於2018年8月3日的牛津熱釋光檢測報告的副本，檢測號C118j38，一個取樣，檢測結果是這件造像為距今600-1000年前所製。
重量：3,990 克
尺寸：像高38.7 厘米，總43.6 厘米

從他舉起右手的毛筆和他標誌性的姿勢可以看出，魁星是主宰文運之神。由於漢字魁是由“鬼”和“斗”的組成，因此魁星經常被塑造成惡鬼的外形，一張猙獰的臉，頭上長角，身體不成比例。相傳他曾是一位文采斐然的凡人，但因為相貌醜陋而屢次未中。出於無奈和屈辱，魁星投江而死，被神話中的怪物鰲所救。隨後，他成爲北斗七星之一，成為文人墨客的守護星。從宋朝開始，學識是決定年輕人等級和社會地位的主要因素，因為當官是通過考狀元的。魁星作為文運之神，在考生中非常受歡迎。

北斗七星是由大熊座的七顆明亮的恆星組成。四星定義了“斗”或“身體”，三星定義了“手柄”或“頭”。 在許多文化中，它被認為是一個獨特的群體。

專家注釋：此拍品與最近在佳士得出售的一件更晚期的青銅造像相比（參見拍賣結果比較），姿勢和表情都很接近，都是拿著筆和斗，一隻腳站在一條鰲上。 顯然，當前拍品的標誌性設計——現存最古老的魁星造像之一——為佳士得和許多其他十七世紀類似的造像提供了靈感。

拍賣結果比較：一件十七世紀的銅鎏金漆魁星造像 (高54 厘米) ﹐見倫敦佳士得 Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2017年5月 9日 lot 18, 售價GBP 52,500。