A CAST BRONZE FIGURE OF THE CROWNED BUDAI China, late Ming dynasty H. 36 cm Seated in rajalilasana on a shaped-cushion engraved with scrolling tendrils, his right hand resting on the raised right knee while the left is holding a bag, wearing skirt tied around his waist and a mantle loosely draped over his shoulders leaving his prominent belly bare, his puffy face displaying a laughing expression with slit eyes below arched eyebrows running into the nose-bridge, puffy cheeks, smiling lips, his hair combed in a chignon and secured with a crown which five leafs are each cast with a minute figure of Buddha, traces of gilt-lacquer. Bought from an old German private collection by the present owner Compare this bronze with a bronze from the Stephen Junkunc, III (1904-1978) Collection, a rare large dated bronze figure of seated Budai, Ming dynasty, dated by inscription to the third year of the Xuande period, corresponding to 1428, and of the period sold at Christie's New York, 13.9.2018, lot 1134. Slightly chipped, few small filled casting holes, wear