Celestial Blessings Guan Gong Figurine XL

Xu’s impressive Guan Gong displays all the elegance and detail inherent in his signature style, but at a more appreciative scale. Posed in a heroic stance, with his signature Green Dragon Crescent Blade pole weapon lowered in one hand, the general’s robes seem to interact with the shift of weight to his right foot. His magnificent mountain pattern armour, complemented by swirling clouds and fearsome gargoyles, accentuates his resolute demeanour. The sculpture’s triple-tiered base is in pewter and natural-finish merbau. Guan Yu 關羽 served as a military general during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 CE – 220 CE). A well-known historical figure and folk hero, he became a semi-fictional character in classical Chinese literature, and was eventually deified as Guan Gong (關公 Lord Guan) . Chinese society reveres him as an upholder of good and defender of integrity, personifying loyalty, courage and righteousness. About the collection Celestial Blessings by Xu Xiao Yong commemorates the mythologies and deities of Chinese culture. Lauded as one of China’s top sculptors, Xu is the recipient of numerous arts-related awards and serves as a member of the United Nations Arts Initiative.