Object Details
Catalogue Note
A heavy standing figure of Budai, the jovial monk widely associated with abundance and contentment in Chinese Buddhist popular culture. At 23 cm high and 1.8 kg, the casting is unusually substantial for its scale.
Object Details
- Subject: Budai
- Origin: China
- Period: Late Qing to early Republic, ca. 1880–1920
- Material: Bronze / copper alloy
- Height: 23 cm
- Weight: 1.8 kg
Surface & Construction
The exterior carries a dark brown patina with warmer metal exposed on projecting areas. The open underside retains hardened core material and shows the irregular internal surface expected of a hand-finished casting. These physical features are useful in assessing manufacture and age, but are not presented as laboratory proof of a precise date.
Condition
Good antique condition with surface wear, oxidation and age-related variation. The casting has not been polished back to bright metal, preserving the contrast between dark recesses and worn high points.
