Wu Guangyu

CHINA, Jiangsu, Taizhou; Qing dynasty

Wu Guangyu was a sculptor whose famous clay Buddha statues were chosen as offerings to the imperial court during the rule of Emperor Qianlong (reigned 1736–1795) of the Qing dynasty. Among his more notable works were the Eighteen Arhats at Jingyin Temple in Shanxi. The statues were artfully painted with a natural and refined aesthetic; unfortunately they were destroyed in 1951. Wu’s other works include the statues of the Year Deity, Month Deity, Date Deity, Time Deity, Daytime Deity, and Nighttime Deity at Chenghuang Temple as well as the Earth Deity and Attendants at Wubengong Shrine, all of which have also been destroyed.
Wu’s most famous sculptures include Yue Fei - Father and Son and Sixteen Ministers at a shrine in Taishan. It was said that the heads of the statues were created by him and the bodies of the statues were carved by his disciples.