A BRONZE 'BIXIE' WEIGHT, EARLY QING DYNASTY China, late 18^th century. Boldly cast as a crouching bixie with neatly incised mane, articulated spine, bifurcated tail, scrolling wings, and sharp claws. The face detailed with large bulging eyes and a broad ruyi-shaped nose, the mouth agape revealing a pair of sharp fangs.

Provenance: Swiss trade.
Condition: Good condition with significant old wear, some casting flaws, very small losses, nicks and dents here and there, shallow surface scratches, remnants of gilt and black lacquer. Fine, naturally grown patina overall.

Weight: 680.5 g
Dimensions: Length 12.1 cm

Clearly a revival piece reminiscent of Han dynasty bronzes and jade carvings, this bixie is deftly cast with a dramatic profile that emphasizes the power and mystique of the mythical creature. Moving away from the highly stylized depictions of animals in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, artisans of the Han dynasty developed a more naturalistic approach to representing animals. This aesthetic was applied to images of both real and mythical creatures and across artistic mediums.

During the 18^th century, many Han objects were excavated and these findings created hype around archaic objects of all kinds. Both the Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors were deep admirers of ancient arts and encouraged their reproduction on various levels. The present bixie is a superb example of the sculptural practices of this period, and the enthusiasm for miraculous creatures during the 18^th century that were believed to possess supernatural powers.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's Hong Kong, 12 April 2018, lot 38
Price: HKD 81,250 or approx. EUR 10,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze qilin-form paperweight, Qing dynasty, 18th century
Expert remark: Compare the similarity of the incision work and pose as well as the remnants of black lacquer. Note the slightly smaller size (7.5 cm).


清初辟邪銅鎮紙
中國，十八世紀末。辟邪伏身昂首，雖張嘴露出獠牙，鱗甲分明，嶙峋有致。銅鎮紙立體圓雕，大小適中，入手盈握，而敦厚貴重。

來源：瑞士古玩交易。
品相：品相良好，有顯著的磨損、一些鑄造瑕疵、小缺損，大面積刻痕和凹痕，表面有淺劃痕，有鍍金和黑漆的殘留。整體包漿溫潤。

重量：680.5 克
尺寸：長12.1 厘米

這件辟邪狀貌溫馴，體現了神話瑞獸力量和神秘。它不再是商周時期的動物形制，漢代工匠發展了一種更加自然主義的表現方法。在十八世紀，許多文物被挖掘出來，雍正帝和乾隆帝都是古代藝術的崇拜者，在他們在位期間，大興仿古文玩製作。現在的辟邪就是一個極好的例子。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2018年4月12日，lot 38
價格：HKD 81,250（相當於今日EUR 10,500）
描述：十八世紀清代麒麟銅鎮紙
專家評論：比較相似的雕刻和姿勢，以及殘留的黑漆。請注意尺寸稍小 (7.5 厘米)。