Adam's Fine Asian Art Preview 23 November 2021

44 A MONUMENTAL SANCAI-GLAZED TERRACOTTA FIGURE OF THE GOD OF WAR / GUANDI CHINA, LATE QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY The god of war is depicted with a grimacing face, with globular eyes, a widely open mouth with teeth and a beard. He is standing on his two feet with his right hand holding a halberd / guandao while his left hand has been left empty. He wears a suit of armour as well as a helmet, the former being adorned with a mythical beast and a loose knot. This monumental sculpture is made of heavy terracotta enhanced with turquoise blue, red and green plombiferous enamels. It is also to be noted that its feet as well as its left hand are removable and made of bronze. They would likely be later replacement of the original ones made of terracotta. Offered at auction together with a large documentation in French and German dating mostly to the last 1940s including letters, invoices, custom papers and photographs, with also a picture of the sculpture that would have made the pair. H: 100 cm €30,000 - 60,000 Provenance: - One of a pair said to have been offered by a Maharajah to Franz Joseph I (1830-1916), Emperor of Austria, who later offered them to a renowned actress of his time, also his mistress, Katharina Schratt (1853-1940). It is understood that there is a watercolour by Robert Heinrich Von Doblhoff (1880-1960), a famous Austrian painter, depicting the dinner room of Mrs. Schratt in her mansion in Vienna, Aus- tria, where those two monumental sculptures would have stand; - Prior to circa 1939, Mr. Jacques Stern, Paris, France; - From 1947/11/13, Messrs: Bersz, 176, Rue Saint Maur, 75011, Paris, France - Georges Galiana, Vienna VI, Austria, Schmalzhofgasse 8/8 - Otto Schatzker, Antique Dealer, Vienna I, Austria, Kolherhofgasse no. 2, Fernruf R 24 4 41, Austria; - […] Unknown; - A French Riviera Private Collection. Fig. 1 - Portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph I Fig. 2 - Portrait of Katharina Schratt Fig. 3 - View of a note, part of the documentation folder, giving informations about the provenance Fig. 4 - The second 'Ming' sculpture that would have formed the pair with ours