Wood sculpture depicting the god of war Guan-di. This is the general Guan You, a historical character really existed between 1st 2nd centuries AD. He defended with great fidelity and courage the emperor Liu Bei. At his death became part of the great Taoist pantheon as a war lord, not as a symbol of violence but for his great control on evil spirits. The sculpture still shows traces of red paint and blue. The red face is an essential feature of the iconography of Guan-di, as the long beard that was often applied and not sculpted, and whose traces are still visible around the mouth and chin. The shape of the eyes, the majestic and imperious expression reflect the standards representative of this deity, as reported in the "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms".

PERIOD: MING, Mid-17th Century.

DIMENSIONS:
22.83 in.Hx9.84 in.Wx7.87 in.D//58 cmHx25 cmWx20 cmD