Chinese school of the 19th century.

Chinese school of the XIX century.
"Tengu.
Patinated bronze.
Presents marks of use and wear, a blow on the back of the beak.
Measurements: 11 x 9 x 8 cm.
Although it is named after a Chinese canine demon, the original form of the "tengu" was that of a bird of prey, and they were represented with human and avian characteristics, as in this bronze sculpture. In the oldest representations of the tengu they had a beak, which was later transformed into an extremely long nose, which today is the representative feature of the tengu in the popular imagination. Buddhism depicted the tengu as disturbing demons and harbingers of war. Their image gradually softened to become one of the protective, but also dangerous, spirits of the mountains and forests.