The spring auction of Christie’s in 2026 spans the two major Asian art weeks in Hong Kong and New York. The bronze gilded Buddha plate is shining with stars. In the early Ming Dynasty, the gilded bronze Arhat statue pair, the Sakyamuni Buddha of the Ming Xuande Palace, and the Maitreya Buddha of the Ming Yongle Palace lead the three major weapons, with a total turnover of more than 30 million Hong Kong dollars. With the top craftsmanship and imperial charm, it represents the peak height of Buddhist art in the Ming Dynasty and becomes the most popular core category in this season’s auction.
Hong Kong Spring Shooting Focus: A Pair of Gilded Bronze Arhat Statues in the Early Ming Dynasty (15th Century)
As the important cover of Hong Kong’s “Important Chinese Porcelain and Crafts” special event, this pair of Arhat statues were sold for 18.8 million Hong Kong dollars, far more than 15 million -20 million Hong Kong dollars, which is a rare palace level statue of the Ming Dynasty in the market in recent years.
Era: Early Ming Dynasty (15th century)
Size: Height 79cm, 78.5cm
Source: Hong Kong Women’s History Collection, inherited for a hundred years
artistic value
Modeling: two Arhat, one for the old and one for the young. The old monk wears a Chinese style right side monk robe, and the hem is engraved with the inscription “three on the left”; The young monk wears an Indian style robe and is engraved with the inscription “four on the right”, with a relaxed posture and graceful demeanor.
Craftsmanship: The copper is pure and polished, with a heavy and gilded finish that shines brightly even after hundreds of years. The facial depiction is exquisite, the young Arhat has beautiful eyebrows, the old monk has a solemn expression, the lines of clothes are smooth, and he has great realistic skills.
Background: Buddhism flourished in the early Ming Dynasty, and the court statues were magnificent in style. This pair of Arhat statues should be enshrined in royal temples. It is extremely rare that they exist in pairs and are well preserved.