A LARGE PAINTED WOOD HEAD OF A LUOHAN WITH EYES OF BANDED AGATE, LATE SONG TO MID-MINGChina, 12th-16th century. The face well carved with a gentle contemplative expression, with the mouth set in a slight smile and the eyes open to show the inlaid pupils, a black hooded cowl worn over the head.Provenance: From the collection of an artist and university professor in Vienna.Condition: Overall condition commensurate with age and exactly as expected with extensive wear, losses, multiple layers of pigments of various dating, natural age cracks, nicks and scratches.Weight: 4,147 gDimensions: Height 33 cmExpert's note: The use of banded agate for the pupils is an extremely rare feature, with no other examples documented, and, along with the skillful carving of the head, points to the importance of this head and its original owner.Auction result comparison: Compare with a related wood head of a luohan, dated to the Song dynasty, at Christie's New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 20 September 2005, lot 144, sold for USD 72,000, and a related wood head of a lokapala at Bonhams London in Fine Chinese Art on 7 November 2019, lot 51, sold for GBP 68,812.宋末至明代中期大型木雕彩繪羅漢頭像,眼睛内鑲瑪瑙中國,十二至十六世紀。面部表情柔和慈祥,嘴露微笑,雙眼睜開,露出鑲嵌瑪瑙的眼珠,頭上戴著黑色帽圍。 來源:來自維也納一位大學教授(同時也是藝術家)的私人收藏品相:總體狀況與年代相符,廣泛的磨損,缺損,來自不同年代的多層顏料,自然的時間裂縫,划痕和缺口。 重量:4,147 克 尺寸:高33 厘米 專家注釋:眼睛内鑲嵌帶紋瑪瑙非常罕見,沒有其他實例記錄。加上精美雕刻的頭像,也說明了這此頭像及其原始主人的重要性。 拍賣結果比較:一件相近的木雕宋代羅漢頭像見紐約佳士得Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 拍場2005年9月20日 lot 144, 售價USD 72,000, ;一件木雕天將頭像見倫敦邦瀚斯Fine Chinese Art 拍場2019年11月7日 lot 51, 售價GBP 68,812.