Chinese Winged Dragon Sculpture Figure, Red Bronze Toned, Late 20th C.

Details

Description

A substantial modern Chinese dragon sculpture in a dynamic reclining pose, cast in metal with a layered red bronze-toned patinated … Read more A substantial modern Chinese dragon sculpture in a dynamic reclining pose, cast in metal with a layered red bronze-toned patinated finish. The elongated body, articulated scales, and extended limbs give the figure strong sculptural presence. The form incorporates winged elements, a less common interpretation than the traditional serpentine dragon. With its weight and scale—approximately 15 inches long and weighing 10 pounds—the sculpture reads as a serious decorative object, well suited for display on a console, bookshelf, or low table.
Produced in the late 20th century, this piece reflects a period when Chinese workshops created bold, mythology-inspired forms for the decorative arts market, emphasizing visual impact and symbolic reference rather than historical reproduction.

COLLECTOR'S NOTE
Winged dragon imagery is comparatively uncommon in Chinese decorative sculpture, where the dragon is more typically rendered in a serpentine, wingless form. The inclusion of wings in this piece appears to reference Yinglong, the winged dragon of Chinese mythology associated with rain and water, a figure described in early textual sources and connected with themes of agricultural abundance and elemental power.
For collectors, the appeal lies not in age but in iconographic specificity and scale. This sculpture reflects a late 20th-century moment when Chinese workshops began producing more ambitious, mythology-driven forms for the decorative arts market—objects that prioritized symbolic clarity, bold modeling, and presence over historical replication. The substantial weight, confident casting, and expressive detailing place it above the more generic decorative examples of the period.

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