AN EXTREMELY RARE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA IN ROYAL EASE, YONGLE INCISED SIX-CHARACTER MARK AND OF THE PERIODChina, 1402-1424. Superbly cast seated in rajalilasana, with swaying torso and head inclined, the left leg drawn up and the right folded in front, the left hand raised and held in vitarka mudra and the right elegantly resting on the rear of the double-lotus pedestal base with beaded rims. The front left corner at the top of the base is neatly incised with the six-character markDa Ming Yongle nianzhi and of the period.Provenance: From the private collection of a gentleman in the United Kingdom.Condition: Superb condition with only minor wear, minimal casting flaws, minuscule nicks, and remnants of old varnish. The base retains the original sealing.X-Ray Images: Available upon request.Weight: 1,441 gDimensions: Height 17 cmExpert’s remark: The present figure was in private owner for a long time. Until just recently, it was covered entirely by a thick layer of old varnish, which had blackenedpletely over the years. The six-character mark was unrecognizably hidden under this coating, and the owner was unaware of its presence. A significant portion of the varnish has now been removed to reveal the magnificent original gilding hidden below. Needless to say, this was done in a most sensitive manner, without scratching the gilding, using only pure alcohol and cotton. There are still some remains of varnish, mostly in the many corners and recesses, which may also be removed if one wishes. Prospective bidders are encouraged to study our high-resolution images in full detail. These will confirm that most of the black areas remaining are ancient varnish, under which the gilding is well preserved.The bodhisattva is wearing a finely detailed foliate tiara, a profusion of beaded jewels around the neck, arms, waist and ankles, a diaphanous scarf billowing at either side, and a voluminous lower garment gathered at the waist with a jeweled girdle and spreading onto the lotus pedestal. The face is exquisitely modeled to provide a benevolent expression with downcast eyes, gently arched brows, circular urna, and smiling lips. The neatly incised hair is drawn up into a knotted jatamakuta topped by a cintamani jewel and elegantly falling in tresses over the shoulders.Bronzes in the Tibetan-Chinese style produced during the reign of Emperor Yongle in the first quarter of the 15th century and bearing his reign mark are highly distinguished for their unsurpassed craftsman, overall refinement and gracefulness. Executed by the Imperial ateliers, they display a highly consistent and uniform style, which evolved out of the influence of the Nepalese artist Anige (1244-1306) at the Yuan court and the close links with Tibet established by the Yongle Emperor. The distinct Imperial style includes double-lotus bases with beaded rims and characteristic facial features with broaden