18th Century Korean Buddhist Boy Attendant Figure Dongja Joseon Dyasty

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A Korean statue of Dongja made from clay/stucco with wood core and painted with polychrome colors circa 18th century of … Read more A Korean statue of Dongja made from clay/stucco with wood core and painted with polychrome colors circa 18th century of the Joseon Dynasty. The statue is nicely presented on a custom-made stand with wood base. Dongja figures depict boy attendants of important Buddhist deities. Relatively small, they were often positioned as a pair flanking the foot of the central deity on the altar. Made mostly from wood, sometimes stone, and in rare cases, clay and stucco, like the one on offer here, the rendering of Dongjas was often realistic with youthful facial features and attires, in standing pose, holding offerings or praying gesture. Earlier Dongjas tend to be more elaborate. With the Confucianism became dominant in Joseon society, the figure became more austere from the 19th to early 20th century.
The Dongja on offer is rare for being made from clay around wood core with stucco surface. The standing boy attendant holds his hands in praying gesture. He has on him a dhoti-like pants with a tied knot in front and open-chest shirt. His hair was tied up in two knots on top of his head. These features are iconic for mythological child in Eastern Asian Art. The polychrome paint on the surface remains mostly vibrant. The statue itself is 17: in height.
The condition of the statue is quite good considering the age and material. The colors on the front are more vibrant than the back, as the front would have been recolored periodically when the statue was installed, but often to the same degree on the back. Presented in a custom-made display stand, the statue also comes with a wood crate which has a paper label of Hanja writing (Chinese). Dongja Figure from Early Joseon Period.
For a pair of carved wood Dongja, see item 83.174.1-.2 in the collection of Brooklyn Musuem and 2018.63.1a,b in the collection of Portland Art Musuem. See less