A CAST-IRON HEAD OF A LUOHAN, SONG DYNASTY
China, 960-1279. Finely cast with a serene expression and heavy-lidded eyes below raised arched brows, a broad nose above full bow-shaped lips forming a calm smile, flanked by elongated earlobes.


Provenance:
Collection of Dr. Rainer Kreissl. An important South German private collection, acquired from the above before 1990. Dr. Rainer Josef Kreissl (1924-2005) was a German-Czech art collector, patron, and important donor. Born in Bohemia, Dr. Kreissl’s family was permitted to remain in Czechoslovakia after World War II because of his father’s efforts in smuggling jews out of the Third Reich. Dr. Kreissl studied business in Žatec and became an antiques dealer in the late 1950s. Due to his association with various foreign diplomats, Dr. Kreissl emigrated to West Germany after becoming a person of interest to the KGB. Dr. Kreissl continued to work as an antiques dealer, assembling an impressive collection which he donated to the various museums in the Czech Republic. In 1995, Dr. Kreissl received a honorary Doctorate from Charles University and was later awarded a honorary citizenship of the city of Prague. In 2001, Kreissl received the Czech Republic’s Medal of Merit. His broad collection can today be seen in the Thimble Museum, the National Gallery, and in Prague Castle.

Condition:
Good condition, commensurate with age. Wear, losses, signs of weathering and erosion, minor corrosion, casting flaws, and small dents. A casting line runs across the top of the head down the ears and side of the neck. The iron is covered overall in a fine, naturally grown patina.

Weight: 4,260 g (incl. stand), 3,403 g (excl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 28.1 cm (incl. stand), 18.6 cm (excl. stand)

With a fine European wood stand made between 1920 and 1930. (2)


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 16 September 2017, lot 866
Price: USD 5,250 or approx.
EUR 6,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An iron head of a Luohan, Song dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, manner of casting, and patina.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Paris, 10 June 2021, lot 26
Estimate: EUR 15,000 or approx.
EUR 16,500
adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A cast iron head of a Luohan, Song dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, with similar facial features, and manner of casting. Note the urna, which is absent in the present lot, as well as the different patina and traces of gesso and pigments. Note the size (25.8 cm).




宋代羅漢鐵頭


中國，960-1279年。羅漢表情安詳，眉毛下方雙眼微閉，寬闊的鼻子下是弓形的嘴唇，笑容平靜，兩側是細長的耳垂。


來源：
Rainer Kreissl 博士收藏；重要的南德私人收藏，於 1990 年之前從上述人士處購得。Rainer Josef Kreissl 博士（1924-2005 年）是一位德國-捷克藝術收藏家、贊助人和重要捐贈者。Kreissl博士出生於波西米亞，二戰後，由於他的父親努力將猶太人偷運出第三帝國，他的家人被允許留在捷克斯洛伐克。 Kreissl 博士在扎泰茨學習商業，並在 20 世紀 50 年代末成為一名古董商。 由於與多位外國外交官的交往，Kreissl博士在受到克格勃注意后後移居西德。Kreissl博士繼續從事古董生意，收集了大量珍貴藏品，並將其捐贈給捷克共和國的各個博物館。 1995年，Kreissl博士獲得查爾斯大學榮譽博士學位，隨後被授予布拉格市榮譽公民稱號。 2001年，克賴斯爾榮獲捷克共和國功績勳章。如今，在提姆保博物館、國家美術館和布拉格城堡中都可以看到他的大量藏品。

品相：
狀態良好，磨損、缺損、風化和侵蝕跡象、輕微腐蝕、鑄造缺陷和小凹痕。一條鑄造線穿過頭頂，向下延伸至耳朵和頸部側面。整體上覆蓋著一層精美的、自然包漿。

重量：4,260 克 (含底座), 3,403 克 (不含底座)
尺寸：高 28.1 厘米(含底座), 18.6 厘米(不含底座)

歐洲木底座來自1920-1930年間。 (2)


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2017年9月16日，lot 866
價格：USD 5,250（相當於今日
EUR 6,000
）
描述：宋鐵羅漢首像
專家評論：比較相近的模型，鑄造風格和包漿。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：巴黎蘇富比，2021年6月10日，lot 26
估價：EUR 15,000（相當於今日
EUR 16,500
）
描述：宋鐵鑄羅漢首
專家評論：比較相近的模型，相似的面部表情和鑄造風格。請注意有白毫，不同的包漿，石膏和顏料的殘留，以及尺寸(25.8厘米)。