Dimensions: Height 35,5 cm Wide 36 cm Depth 11 cm
Weight: 2.900 grams both

Each finely cast in solid bronze, the figures represent two of the revered Buddhist disciples, or Lohan, both shown standing in animated posture, their gestures expressive and full of character. One, portrayed with a rounded belly and jovial expression, holds a fan in one hand while raising the other in a gesture of greeting; the other, leaner in form, is shown balanced upon one leg, the other slightly raised, his hands raised in a lively motion, the features rendered with pronounced brows, sharp cheekbones, and curling beard. Both wear loose robes gathered in pleats at the waist, their hems falling in naturalistic folds, the surfaces worn to a deep, dark patina with traces of reddish lacquer and age encrustations still apparent.

The pair is mounted upon later hardwood bases of elegant form, carved with lotus scrolls.

The present bronzes belong to a long tradition of Lohan imagery in China, where the disciples of the Buddha were cast and carved from the Tang dynasty onwards, often in expressive and unusual attitudes. Their lively gestures and naturalistic poses echo the Ming taste for dynamic, almost theatrical renderings of Buddhist figures, intended to both delight and inspire the devotee.