A bronze head of Xiwangmu


Yuan/Ming DynastyThe round face with a serene expression with arched brows above partially open eyes above a straight nose and full lips, the hair pulled back from the face in even grooves to reveal the pendulous earlobes, all beneath an elaborate crown decorated with three phoenix, mounted. 19cm (7 1/2in) high. (2).
|元/明 銅西王母頭像Provenance: Aaron Gallery Ancient Art Ltd., LondonNorman Taylor Collection, prior to 22 June 1999The Reid Collection來源： 倫敦古董商Aaron Gallery Ancient Art Ltd.1999年6月22日前為Norman Taylor先生收藏Reid收藏Xiwangmu, also referred to as the Queen Mother of the West, is one of the most important deities of the Daoist pantheon. She was often depicted wearing a headdress decorated with phoenix, a mythical bird which, according to the 'Classic of Mountains and Seas' (Shanhai jing 山海經), compiled during the Han dynasty, inhabited the Immortal lands of the deity, along with other fantastic creatures such as the three-footed crow, the nine-tailed fox, the dancing frog and the moon-hare who pounded magical elixirs in a mortar.The facial features and headdress decorating the present lot are comparable with those depicted on two bronze figures of Xiwangmu, Ming dynasty, which were sold at Sotheby's London, 16 May 2007, lot 38.